


Life After Dragon Pox

by LeaderOfTheShadows



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi, will add tags as they are needed later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 21:00:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 26
Words: 32,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17352512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeaderOfTheShadows/pseuds/LeaderOfTheShadows
Summary: After being captured and Bellatrix's tortures, Hermione survived yet another cruel test. Now instead of letting the Death Eaters kill her, Voldemort wants her to bear multiple children to a Pureblood family.How come Hermione will establish a strong connection with not even Draco but Lucius Malfoy, and what will the Malfoy family do to convince her they are willing to switch sides? Can they be trusted?Mostly (Narcissa/)Hermione/Lucius, the Dramione is just - forgive me for saying this, I know it's a great ship - a way to get there.





	1. Buried Alive

**Author's Note:**

> A friend of mine inquired about how magical diseases would work the other day compared to Muggle diseases, and with that, inspired this fic.
> 
> Now, I know in HP universe Dragon Pox is deadly mostly to elderly people only and it has possible cures, but I basically made it more deadly, only known survivor Hermione, and somehow the resistance to it is hereditary, just for the sake of this fic, okay? Maybe since it's not a Muggle virus it can be like that.
> 
> XOXO  
> LeaderOfTheShadows

After being captured, Hermione thought Bellatrix's tortures were bad. Waking up in a small, foul-smelling and dark place without a warning was almost just as bad.

She panicked.

She screamed.

And figured she could use her magic, which only made it worse.

She could charm a light to see, even without a wand, but had to use another charm to distinguish it right after, taking deep breaths to keep herself from gagging.

For whatever reason, she was buried. Maybe another "funny joke" courtesy of Bellatrix.

But that wasn't just it. There was someone else in the coffin with her. 

Or rather, she was in someone else's grave, on the top of said (used-to-be-a-)person, now more like bones inhabitant.

It took forever to muster up the will to use a Lumos again, to look again. She had to - maybe there was a way out.

Then it turned out she wasn't in an ordinary coffin, more of sharing a marble sarcophagus of some short. 

And she wasn't underground, because sometimes traces of dim light reached her, making her think she might be in a crypt.

And the light meant the crypt must have had windows or doors to let the light in -possibly a way out for her.

But, the marble around her was designed not to let her out, or there was a shield put up. 

All her spells bounced back she tried to use to escape.

She hurt herself trying to Apparate out so badly every time but tried at least 5 or 6 times before she gave up.

For what it seemed like months, but could have been mere days, she was kept there.

She made herself sleep on one side of the sarcophagus, and pushed the owner of it to another, but there wasn't enough space for her to be completely free of her dead roommate.

And she sometimes had to turn and move, her hips and whole body hurting being forced into the same posture for too long.

Then, she got sick.

It was chilly, the cold and unforgiving marble around her, but she didn't expect to be sick before she could die anyway of thirst first, yet she did.

Spent days sick and distracted herself a bit when she talked to the other body next to her, only then noticing the figure had a silver necklace on then.

It had a family crest on it, with serpent or dragon-like creatures on it, so she thought it must have been a wizard she was buried with.

She called him "Alfie" for some reason and sometimes almost thought he was real - she must have had a bad fever by then, seeing things.

She pondered if they could have been friends if they met while they both were alive, but she thought the crest was too close to Slytherin's so maybe not close friends, just... casual ones.

When she got better, still sick but no longer fighting for her life, she noticed the family crest also had a small quote under the big silver serpents, "Sanctimonia Vincet Semper" written on it.

She didn't call the wizard Alfie again and knew they would have been never friends. He was a Malfoy once.


	2. Superiority

She didn't expect them to open the sarcophagus' lid ever again, otherwise, she would have set magical traps when she had the power yet to do so.

Muggles could last a couple of days without water, but it didn't take much more for her either to feel hungry, thirsty and dying.

If she knew she had a date with Voldemort and his followers, she wouldn't have tried to survive the fever so bad, or maybe would have put on some cologne…

_Well, she still had some kind of humor then, at least…_

"Use shields so no one gets sick breathing the air in!" Lord Voldemort yelled Hermione hearing him in the sarcophagus before its lid was removed with magic.

Then no one approached for a long while, possibly cowering in fear when Bella came and stood over Hermione's vision in a blinding light.

"She's alive!" she screeched, and after that, more faces came to view: including the Dark Lord's.

"Might have found a use for Mudbloods, then," he said, with a sneer on his lips, but with a shrug on his shoulders. "Move her."

And then, Hermione was too weak to resist a spell lifting her out of the marble coffin.

Or, resist being taken by a house elf, and being scrubbed clean for what it felt like a hundred times in an overly hot bath.

After, she got some plain clothes and drink and food, starting to feel better and at the same time worse.

Definitely worse when she was taken to a Death Eater meeting by the elf the next time she woke, Voldemort speaking to them.

"I arranged for this Mudblood to be buried with Abraxas Malfoy for a week!" the Dark Lord declared, and Death Eaters cheered. "He died of Dragon Pox, deadliest sickness known to the magical society, no cures. She should have perished with him, infected the same."

To say Bella and others like her cheered only louder was an understatement.

"Yet, some Mudbloods have surprising qualities. This one survived the infection, having more power or a magical resistance against sickness in her blood that is superior to even the Malfoys."

Now, there was sudden, ill silence, and Hermione felt sick. The invisibly small hairs on her arm stood up. Something terrible was coming.

Even more dreadful than her last torture, she just knew.

"Yes, you heard that correctly," Voldemort enjoyed how the crowd as a whole was taken aback, while he alone was smiling. "And that's not how it should be, should it?"

"Kill her!" some said, some now started yelling the Malfoys are pansies, and that a Death Eater should not die of any sickness, even if it was the deadliest wizarding disease…

"Well, if anyone thinks they are better than the Malfoys, be my guest, and spend some time with Abraxas Malfoy, just as she did," Voldemort then just said, which made everyone shut up once again, nobody willing to risk that. "But if not, I want her to be wedded to Draco Malfoy tomorrow, and be a Mudblood no more, taking over the Malfoy name."

Hermione thought something bad was coming, but she almost laughed hearing this.

The Malfoys would never agree to this, she didn't even have to fight it!

"BUT MY LORD!" Bella as well as Lucius just shrieked.

"Lucius. You should be grateful. No Malfoy of your line would have to die anymore of the disease that took your dear father, after all," Voldemort smiled, while Lucius Malfoy paled. "And I'll be personally wedding your son as a sign of my good will, despite how you only disappointed me lately."

Hermione got the sense that part of this was only happening because Lucius got Voldemort really angry by losing the Horcrux he was tasked to take care of.

"But-!"

"If you, my dear Lucius, think you can survive what your father couldn't, I would gladly give you a chance to prove there is no need to strengthen your line with this Mudblood," Voldemort pointedly said. "But do not otherwise dare to talk back to me, questioning my decision."

No one dared to say anything, not even Bella. 

Pureblood supremacist they were, some more for show some more for real, not even crazy Bella wanted to die of a terrible sickness, in a marble casket together with Abraxas, and Hermione couldn't really blame them.

"Well then, tomorrow it's the wedding! Which means today we celebrate the engagement!" Voldemort said, and an elf appeared next to him with a tray from which he took a wizarding goblet, and raised. "To the young couple to be wedded! May their magical descendants be stronger and numerous!"

Hermione thought she'd rather spend a lifetime locked next to Abraxas again, then to share a bed with Draco Malfoy for one night, not to mention other things the Dark Lord seemed to be implying.

"You should be happy as well," Tom then told her, probably seeing how her eyes darted around the Malfoy Manor's Great Hall, looking for a way out. "Your children will be considered of a higher social status than you could have ever dreamed."

"I feel _immensely_ lucky already," Hermione lied through her teeth, or maybe it was sarcasm, the only way to keep sane at that point, but Voldemort noticed.

"If you don't get pregnant soon from Draco, however," the Dark Lord stepped closer, and lowered his voice so that only Hermione and the Malfoys who were walking up to Voldemort - probably to change his mind - could hear. "I'm not going to be so merciful. I'll kill you for being a Mudblood, albeit a strong one, and kill Draco as well, for still listening to his father's ideals better than his Lord's."

"My Lord, I believe my ideals are yours, I really don't mean no disrespect-" Lucius quickly said, but Voldemort cruelly just interrupted.

"Do you miss your father so, Lucius? Since I have already made my decision, I let you think for a moment before you do yours. You were saying?"

"I shall inform the elves to serve drinks and produce a celebratory feast, right away," Lucius just pressed his lips together into a thin line, his demeanor cool, but Narcissa taking his hand as if to calm him. "And also ask my beautiful wife to delegate the elves preparing for tomorrow's celebration as well, we have no time to waste."

"See, Lucius?" Voldemort contently smiled. "This way, you not only won't die a terrible death but will get to meet your grandkids soon enough, isn't that more preferable?"

When Lucius didn't answer, but only looked at Hermione, she just stood there, standing purposely tall, and with a defiant look on her face.

It was one thing she didn't in a thousand years want to have this happen to her or anyone she liked and wanted to scream out of terror and disgust on the inside, but it was another thing altogether that she wasn't going to show those emotions in front of the Malfoys.

She was wondering if Harry who was captured with her was dead by now and if that made him the lucky one.


	3. Dresses and Dreams

Hermione was standing in the waste room that she was allocated to her just for the night, for she had to share quarters with Draco Malfoy after the marriage, and couldn't feel quite right in such an open space.

Not that she missed being buried of course, but being in the Great Hall of the Manor, and looking out the window of her room felt immensely strange as if her vision shortened in the time she spent locked up.

"What would you like to wear for the ceremony?" there was a short knock on the door before Narcissa came in to ask a surprising question.

"As long it's not something a Mudblood should traditionally wear for her execution, or I don't have to be naked, I'm sure anything is fine," she answered, although she did consider not talking to any of the Malfoys just because of spite.

But, she was smart enough to realize if she is going to marry one, she'd better get used to the idea of dealing with them, and that sounded much easier if they talked.

"Wizarding marriages are bound by magic, and therefore last lifelong. You should make it memorable at least, wearing something nice," Narcissa just smiled, and she was almost kind.

_And now I don't want to tell her now that wedding her pampered racist son will surely be memorable, no matter my dress,_ she thought, why replicated the Pureblood witch's smile as her own.

She wasn't as inured to smiling at the people who she wished to hell as Narcissa, which was clear and felt, but she was a fast learner.

"What is your recommendation?"

"Draco is planned to wear magically ice-blue tinted grey robes, with silver linings, but something tells me it wouldn't exactly go with your coloring."

Hermione just huffed, of course, it wouldn't. She was everything the Malfoys weren't, even in looks.

"Red is a fitting color for you, but then you'd be mismatched with Draco. So I would choose a compromise. How about the same shade of grey but with a reddish-borderline orange color tint spelled on the top?"

Hermione was sure these type of spellwork cost a fortune, and that she had no idea of wizarding trends because in her dictionary red and grey went badly together.

"I'm not sure how it would look, if I want to be honest," she just carefully said, making Narcissa come closer, and take an elegant pillow from her bed, pointing a wand at it.

"It's an unexpected combination, but since the red magic would be see-through, I think it would look nice, here," she said, and the pillow turned grey first, then she added a see-throw, bit light reflecting almost filter-like magic to it, and depending on how the light fell on it, it looked almost mesmerizingly beautiful. "And I thought it's a way to have something that reminds you of who you were before all this. Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of her year, a Gryffindor."

Hermione strangely felt indebted to the witch that she considered Hermione's feelings and was trying to cheer her up, but mentioning her life before everything went wrong also unexpectedly hurt.

As long as she wasn't thinking about better times, she could keep strong and her head held high.

But the moment she was reminded how this wasn't always her life, that she used to be surrounded by friends, not grave enemies, and how she once thought anyone cared about her academic achievement behind her origins - she almost burst out in tears.

"I prefer a light green tint if it's not too Slytherin for me to choose, or Voldemort won't be offended by it so he'd off me," she decided, even though it wasn't matching her complexion. She preferred unfitting clothing to unfitting, cry-inducing memories any day.

Narcissa seemed to give her a considering look but then stood.

"I better tell the elves that then."

"Thank you," she just said, but then, when Narcissa smiled again at that, she couldn't be smart and find herself compelled to ask. "You could just kill me before the ceremony starts, saying it was some not so sensible Death Eater or something. And then your son couldn't be forced to marry me, and all your problems would be solved. Yet you ask my opinion on wedding dresses?"

"It might be just a move to lull you in a false sense of security," Narcissa said, but her smile had a side-smirk to it now it didn't have before. "Or… the Dark Lord is erratic enough for us not to want to risk it when I'm convinced it's a good thing."

"How do you mean?"

"It's not yet time for you to know," Narcissa just said, her previous - probably fake - smile returning. "But I'll say this: I'm secretly glad. And prefer it's you than the Parkinson's girl, no question."

Hermione now gave an almost carefree smile back. If she accepted the situation she was forced into, at least Narcissa wasn't openly terrible, even though she was admittedly hiding something.


	4. Wedding Night

Hermione was good at expecting the worst, but she couldn't blame herself for not foreseeing this particular misfortune that fell upon her.

She went through her marriage counting back the seconds of it, just as the forced sex she had to have with Draco Malfoy after.

Voldemort at least quite firmly promised he'll check next morning if they were intimate with magic, so they couldn't risk fake it. 

Malfoy was unexperienced unlike her (Viktor and Ron), and he came in a matter of some minutes, and Voldemort gave Hermione a wand as a wedding present, at least.

It wasn't hers, and not quite flexible to her magic, and had a monitoring spell on it so that Voldemort could check any magic she performed, but it was a wand nevertheless. 

She felt less helpless when she could twine her fingers around one, no doubt. 

She had one shot to use the wand once if she wanted to escape or curse Voldemort or anyone before the Death Eaters could notice or stop her, and she liked considering what that one spell would be if it came to that.

Then the elder Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy appeared - now that there were two - and waited to drop the bomb on her after her wedding night.

Although Hermione wasn't really sleeping the whole night and had her reasonable suspicion that Draco was insomniac the same, they still pretended to sleep until Lucius came in, followed by Narcissa, both still in their night clothing, which made Hermione ask.

"What is the time?"

"Just after 4," Lucius dismissed the issue, seemingly irritated she dared to speak at all. "But we have an urgent discussion with you the Dark Lord cannot know about."

"Oh? And what if I tell Voldemort?" Hermione now just asked, almost glad to get on the nerves of the Malfoy patriarch.

She couldn't really direct her anger at Draco now, him being surprisingly quiet and docile, only interacting with her if it was necessary, not insulting her at all like he usually would, so Lucius being rude to her was almost second best.

"You won't be able to. We need a vow first," Narcissa came to the room further, went over the huge bed Hermione occupied the direct opposite side as Draco, them keeping distance as much as they could sharing it. "And before you ask, it's needed. I'm willing to swear on my magic that this issue at hand concerns all our lives, and if we don't manage to find a way to fix it, the Dark Lord will kill us all, so it's unavoidable."

"You didn't actually swear, just said that you would," Hermione calmly pointed out, making Narcissa smile.

"I swear it on my magic and everything I hold dear, Voldemort would most likely choose to kill all four of us in retaliation if we don't manage this issue before he could notice."

Hermione considered a lot of things and was careful with every word of the vow Lucius dictated to her to repeat - not willing to die because of such a pity thing now - while she was making the Unbreakable Vow not to reveal what she was about to learn to anyone, holding Narcissa's hand under the vow.

But after, Lucius didn't choose to tell her anything, only eyed his son, until Draco blushed scarlet red, and spoke up close to Neville's stutter than his own usual "I'm king of Slytherin" way.

"I…It's... I'm actually… It's not that we knew it for a long time, ... or thought it would matter, but-"

"Tell her today, will you?" Lucius interrupted. "We don't have much time unless we want this little meeting to be discovered, just because you flustered to tell your wife the truth."

"I had the yearly check-up with our private family Healer in the summer, and as it's customary if you're over 16, he also examined - it was in his findings that I'm incapable to have children."

Hermione heard every word, yet she had to ask to clarify.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm shooting blanks," Draco said, while Narcissa and Lucius were waiting for him to explain, their faces an empty mask. "It's probably the result of my ancestry being too limited as a many generations Purebloods, but I cannot have any children. Not now, not ever."

Which was almost vindicating, Purebloods having a backlash for their obsessed supremacist views, but not if it meant Hermione was going to be killed along with them for not having a family with Draco soon by the Dark Lord.

"So when Tom expects me to bear children, I'm going to be impregnated by some random stranger who's indebted to the Malfoy family enough to risk Voldemort finding out?"

"The Dark Lord would know. Any ritual we are supposed to do with your spawns, like the one that's performed after birth on any Pureblood heir - which your firstborn will be - would expose the child didn't have Malfoy blood in them."

"So we are all basically already dead, just waiting for execution?" Hermione just cynically asked. "Because if this is true-"

"There is an alternative," Narcissa now said, squeezing her arm gently. "But you won't like it."

"She won't like it? How about us?! Me?" Lucius just pointedly asked, making Narcissa send a look into his direction.

"You have some kind of Dark but ancient ritual to ensure Draco's potency, but someone has to sell their soul in return, or our firstborn will be sacrificed or something?" Hermione wondered because it was almost funny. 

The situation was so bad, that handling it with the absurd helped only.

"I have to bed you," Lucius, however, said, not even acknowledging Hermione's ideas before stating the facts loud and clear. "And then we'd have to pray Voldemort would never check the baby further than it's a Malfoy, coming out of you."

The way he said it felt disturbingly disgusting, probably on purpose.

"I'd rather die," Hermione said, feeling as if choices were taken from her entirely, even though there was one. It's just wasn't one she could accept.

"We then share the sentiment. But I'm not willing to let my son die and invoking Voldemort's rage because we kept this information from him so that he'd kill us with Cissa as well."

"Why did you keep this information from him?" Hermione tried to not think about what Lucius just said will happen - in his point of view, never even asking her - that she preferred to distract herself with the question.

Yes, it wasn't good news if Voldemort wanted a next gen of followers and Draco couldn't produce any for him but might have saved Draco from marrying Hermione in the first place.

"Impotency is considered a curse in Pureblood families, like Squibs, and they are supposed to be cursed out of the family. But I won't do that to Draco, not even if I have to sex with a Mudblood witch regularly who's too flat-chested, foul-mouthed and plain-looking for any wizard with taste."

_"Lucius,"_ Narcissa just warned, and he was just looking back at her defiantly, not critiquing her any longer, but not even apologizing.

"And you? How would you feel about this?" Hermione quickly turned to ask Narcissa. She wished for someone to veto this whole proposition, but so far all the others seemed to be in agreement it was inevitable and should happen. "It's your husband-"

"A husband I was forced to marry, not unlike you was to Draco, even our age was the same as yours now," Narcissa told her. "But along the way, I've grown to like him, and he me, as I'm sure you can as well."

Hermione wished she was back with Alfie, having nice, one-sided conversations while waiting for her death when Purebloods clearly had another disease: they were mad. All of them!

Bellatrix in hindsight almost seemed saner than Draco, Narcissa, and Lucius looking at her, waiting for her response.


	5. Something blue, something foolish

"How are you feeling?" Draco Malfoy of all people was in her face in the morning, after a week of their forced marriage.

The problem wasn't even that, not really, but how now her every waking minute was spent in a nervous-irritated phase ever since she had sex with Lucius.

Twice, to be correct.

Lucius' bed now was charmed to Apparate (imitating Portkey magic as she understood) Hermione back to Draco's after the magic sensed they were "done", and Hermione was ordered by the older Malfoy to appear on random occasions by house elves.

Before, Narcissa talked to her in private saying it was _really_ fine by her, and that it's better if she wasn't there as a jealous wife would, leaving them with Lucius to enjoy whatever they wanted, saying nor Hermione nor Lucius owed any explanations whatsoever of their time together to her.

First time Hermione was almost in the misguided illusion Lucius won't touch her anyway, with the amount of show he put up, hating on Mudbloods, yet he did.

It was eerily similar to the experience with Draco, except that Lucius hadn't lost his head just after mere minutes, and it took a really long time for him to finally get off.

It was a nightmare, Hermione would have gladly told Narcissa about it, because she really had nothing to worry about - Lucius could barely force himself to even fuck her, and it showed.

The second time she was so worried about everything going on, she tensed up and her muscles couldn't even relax.

Lucius, instead of being merciful and skipping that night or giving her a potion or just a drink to relax, just forced his way through regardless.

It hurt Hermione badly, she was still hurting if she wanted to be honest. 

Although, given the circumstances, she was surprised her muscles didn't tense up the same way before.

When she had to sleep with Draco and then the first time with Lucius, it wasn't her choice either, was it? Yet so far the worst has been the last.

It might have been because she did sleep with Ron more times she could count, and while she loved him dearly, he never really took care of her needs, so she was used to it.

And after a while, she just rather faked it then Ron being on the top her for more time than necessary. 

Or having a yet another conversation about it, Ron calling her "insatiable", "perfectionist" and "too uptight" along with many nastier nicknames if their argument got heated. 

"The last time we spoke you probably told me something close to 'get lost, Mudblood, no one asked your opinion', and now you're asking me to answer that question truthfully?" Hermione just asked, her voice not as pointed though as she was planning on.

Maybe that was what got Draco just admit.

"Yes, in point of fact, I never really liked to play that part."

"Well, if you're such a good actor, maybe you should use your acting skills to make people like you, not the opposite," Hermione just muttered, thinking she'd rather go back to sleep then to end up killing her husband in a nasty fight early in the morning as she was sure this was heading.

"Touché," Draco, however, just said. He seemed a totally different person, and Hermione regretted taking that with a fair amount of suspicion of all the sudden. "Mother did say she wanted to talk to you today if you can."

It was a bit better than Lucius ordering her around with elves, not even pretending she had a choice to decline.

"I will talk to her."

"Good," Draco said, and the next time when Hermione glanced at him, he was not lying on their bed but as if he was about to make an angel in the snow, his limbs spread off into four different directions, and he was smiling.

"Are you sure you're Draco Malfoy, the prince of the Slytherin House?" Hermione inquired, because he seemed years younger, and more like an idiot.

"It's something I like to do when I have a spacious enough bed for it, unlike Hogwarts. You try too, it's actually quite fun."

Draco hinting that Hogwarts wasn't good enough for him almost seemed normal, yet Hermione won't take the strange X form and grin like someone who's high, not next to him.

"Pass."

"No, you've just told me I should make people like me, and as a Slytherin, I see the appeal of that. So that's what I'm trying to do, and therefore you have to at least try."

"I meant that on different people, who don't actually know you," Hermione huffed.

"I certainly cannot or want to charm the Death Eaters," Draco just said, still not pulling himself together from the lazing around, and he had a point.

And Hermione thought her life couldn't be any worse if she tried to loosen up a bit, so she changed her mind.

"Now close your eyes and smile," Draco just said when she was imitating the same idiotic display as him.

"Fuck you too."

"No seriously. I start doing it first if you're uncomfortable with it, see?" and he was closing his eyelids, still grinning furiously.

Hermione went with it a little bit later, even if it felt challenging to smile since she wasn't really in a mood to do so.

"And how long are we supposed to do this?" she just asked, not really feeling safe with her lying around and grinning in the Headquarters of Death Eaters where Voldemort was residing as well.

Her eyes were twitching to be opened again.

"Much longer then a couple of seconds then so far it has been, surely," Draco said, and Hermione didn't actually open her eyes to converse with him.

"You mean actually more than you lasted on our wedding night?"

"Don't go there. You're ruining my happy place," Draco said, and it was almost funny, so the smile didn't feel so unnatural, and Hermione huffed. "I kindly invite you to join and that's how you repay me?"

By that time, Hermione almost felt meditative and definitely a tiny bit better given that her mind wasn't roaming on full speed looking for solutions to escape the Manor, to escape Lucius, to escape the situation.

At that moment, she had nothing to escape and it almost was bearable if she could just shut out everything else from her overactive brain.

"I think this place is better appreciated in silence," she wondered, making Draco chuckle and note.

"Fast learner as ever, are we, Miss Granger."

"Mrs. Malfoy now, actually," she argued, just for the sake of argument.

" _Hermione,_ do yourself a favor and shut up."

And then, they were lying in bed even for a good 20 or 30 minutes still, not caring about the word or anything else, alone, yet doing something together.

That was when Narcissa's voice clasped Hermione's relaxing mind out of blue, dragging her out of the calm faster than she thought it was possible.

"Am I interrupting something? I knocked, but there was no answer."

Hermione pulled herself up quickly, looking at Draco's side of the bed, seeing that he… must have fallen asleep. But he was still in the ridiculous X-shape, which made Hermione smile.

"No, you needed to talk with me, right?" she just asked Narcissa, gesturing for them to leave the room, and although she never would have admitted it to herself, she was talking on a lowered voice, not wishing to wake Draco.


	6. Two Questions

"This is my bedroom, yes, I can see you're wondering," Narcissa said when she closed the door behind Hermione. "When we first got married to Lucius, he made sure I had a separate suite than his own, being considerate of me. And it's coincidentally also a place where Voldemort wouldn't directly sense or question if I put up magical barriers for no one to be able to overhear us."

Suddenly, Hermione almost felt nervous, even though Narcissa had a capability to charm everyone she wanted with her personality, even without using magic.

"Now, I have two questions only. And an observation and a confession, if I may," she gestured Hermione sit at a cozy looking yet elegant (Malfoys, after all) settee that was pushed against the wall in the other side of where Narcissa's bed was, already neatly made by the elves.

"Please," Hermione said, having a gut feeling it was very much connected to Lucius, and she wanted to get over with it quickly as possible.

"Let me start with the confession. When I married Lucius, we were so young and we came from very different Pureblood families, into an arranged marriage," she said, her voice probably intentionally as silky, or maybe it was an effect how it was her husband she loved she talked about. "But we made it work. It was like a dream sometimes, but not because it was meant to be, it was because we made it to be. We were stronger together, then separate. Every time I look at my husband, I still remember to be grateful to have someone like him, even if I never encouraged him following Voldemort, to be honest."

Hermione appreciated that little detail greatly. 

Yes, she never said she didn't believe in Pureblood Superiority, only not in a madman that was the face of it all, but she mentioned this tiny detail for only Hermione, so that was enough, no matter the truth.

"Go on," she nodded.

"So, the confession is of me that when I told you to sleep with my husband, I was looking at him as someone who gave my home and my family to me. I never considered him acting differently with you, and how you might perceive him, I am truly sorry for that."

After all what Hermione went through and didn't really rely on apologies of people who hurt her, you'd think it didn't matter now for anyone to talk to her like that.

But it did. They were simple words really, but carried something of an essence that she didn't even know she'd want to hear, but did.

"It's okay," she said, because it wasn't fair to say anything to a person who was apologizing to her so, even if they didn't have to.

"Hardly, but that brings me to my observation," Narcissa carried on. "I noticed how instead of my expectations, you and Lucius not only did not bond, but are miserable since days, and it has not gotten better."

It wasn't a question, but Hermione nodded faintly. 

She wasn't comfortable telling on Lucius almost to his own wife, for Merlin's sake, but the nodding was a reflex that overtook, without Hermione having to say anything about it.

"So, my questions then," Narcissa went on. "First, did you really decide to sleep with my husband to save our of all lives?"

"You know the answer," Hermione was now taken aback. It wasn't a question she expected, or quite frankly knew how to answer.

They both knew it had already happened, maybe Narcissa even knew that it happened more than once.

So for her to ask this, after her soothing words, it got Hermione off balance, as a clap in a very silence room, echoing and bringing waves that collided with you.

"No, I can only guess about the facts, and know even littler about your emotions. You might have said yes with your words, but decided in your mind or soul with all of your will that you'll never actually give in to him, there is a difference."

That completed the question, yet Hermione couldn't really speak up.

"I wouldn't blame you for that. As I understand, dignity can be more to a person than their own life, even if I never had to make a choice, and would probably decide against that in the end, being a Slytherin," she smiled faintly. "I just want you to tell me, because then I'd like to get you and Draco out of the country, in the hopes of at least trying to save him. Although with the Mark on his skin it can prove difficult."

"I… I'm not against… I'd prefer if nobody had to die," Hermione said, all of the ways she could convey this seemingly improper in front of the Pureblood which.

"I'm elated to hear that," Narcissa bowed only her head, but it seemed majestic and in the same time, accompanying her words humbly. "So then I can ask my last question."

Hermione got the feeling it would be the worst to take, and unconsciously took a deep breath, her fingers fumbling the soft seat of the settee under her.

"Yes?"

"Now, first understand I'm not defending him, and on the contrary, I will have a talk not unlike this with Lucius himself, maybe an even harsher one, frankly, since he should know better," she smiled now a full smile, which was impossible to not return. "But this question is to you first."

Hermione waited, but Narcissa didn't say anything. For a while. But then…

"Hermione, do you have the notion that being open to sex means you just lay there and spread your legs?"

It was almost shocking Narcissa would ask that, but this time Hermione knew perfectly well something like this was coming.

She might have blushed though, thoughts running through her head with the speed of incomprehensible circling.

How did Narcissa knew? She said she's going to have a talk with Lucius, as if it so far hasn't yet occurred. But if the Pureblood wizard didn't say anything…?

"Look, it's not a reprimand, or anything like that," Narcissa quickly added. "And I'm actually not aware what really happened. But, if I tend to think I'm right, since your young and attractive, but Lucius still seems just… anyway, if I'm right and you meant what you said about being open, you need to apply a different strategy here."

"And you're going to train me?" Hermione said, because she never was possibly in so much shame, paired with borderline curiosity.

"Lucius can always tell you if he prefers one motion to another," Narcissa just smiled now a bit wickedly, but it suited her. "I'd rather say I just want to make sure you have the means to get there. If we had more time, maybe I wouldn't interfere, as I didn't wish to, but since it's a grave danger to all of us, I do not wish to perish because a small detail like this."

"Which is?"

"My dear, you aren't about to perform an act that's alien to anyone, even beginners have some sense how to get better in it," Narcissa carefully said. "Your weakness is your mind. When you have a reliable one, you tend to only rely on that, forgetting instincts, second guessing, trying to hard to predict the future just to exist in the present."

Hermione started to laugh. Actually laugh, not just forced, polite laugh.

Draco with his little morning exercise and "safe space" thing was probably telling the same thing to her as his mother was now, without even talking about it.

"I know it's a problem for me, but I'm not really sure how I should do it."

"That could be easily helped if you trust me," Narcissa just smiled wider. "If I were to establish, let's say, 3 rules with my husband?"

"Will I know about these rules?"

"Surely you will, but not right now. I need to hear from Lucius as well and maybe even fit what I have in mind a bit considering that. How about we have a luncheon instead now, together?" she didn't even wait for an answer. 

Bringing Hermione to a lanai where the table was already laid, the food was good, and Voldemort wasn't attending, which was always a plus.


	7. Prepared Coincidence

Hermione got to Lucius' bedroom when she was called again, and the room's door was ajar, but there was nobody inside.

She had to close the door after she got there because if anyone just wandered off the wrong direction, and she was found in Lucius' rooms in the middle of the night it could be a disaster for all of them.

Then, she did sit on the bed, but her nerves almost got the worst of her, making her leave before Lucius stormed through the door, with his Death Eater clothing and the mask in his hand.

"I swear to Cernunnos if I have to run like an errand boy for him once again, Narcissa, I will-" it took him just a second to realize his mistake and fell dead silent, but changed his tone and said. "Merlin... I was sent to this mission last second and I completely forgot I had sent for you."

"I can go," Hermione said in a small voice, she wanted to leave anyway, and Gryffindor with courage she was but not when Lucius though she was his wife and told her something he didn't want Hermione to hear…

"No, don't," Lucius just closed the door with his wand, and threw off the cloak he wore to the floor, coming closer. "I'd rather take my mind off of things right now."

Hermione didn't know if she fancied being the distraction, it oddly sounded as if she still wasn't a full-width person in Lucius' mind, but then the blond wizard closed the distance between them and kissed her.

Not even just imitating a kiss, or doing it as he was ordered to (was he, he might have been, by Narcissa, being one of the rules?) but grabbing her head and pulling her closer while trusting his tongue with so much force and domination to Hermione's own she almost couldn't comprehend it.

Safe to say, the last two times Lucius didn't even try anything like this, and Hermione wasn't sure she'd let him.

After all, the mask and the cloak the wizard just discarded could surely speak of the terrors of Muggles and non-Purebloods who were tortured while Lucius was wearing them.

But as far as the kiss went, Hermione found herself kissing back, maybe a bit fiercely of all the sudden, thinking about the victims of the Death Eaters, and irritated how Lucius still seemed to think if he decided to have sex with her, she should just obey that.

Like a common whore, answering a demand.

But when Hermione fought for dominance of the kiss and sank her fingers in Lucius' hair in return pulling, the Pureblood wizard now pushed her to the bed and was on the top on her with a grunt.

It almost seemed urgent, as if he _wanted_ her now, so either Narcissa did have a gainful talk with him, or was it just that Hermione herself was acting different and quite frankly a bit angered towards him?

The last two times, she could have strangled him with her bare hands as a Muggle would, she was so angry she had to go to him, but kept that all locked away.

Maybe it was a mistake.

She decided to show the bastard some of it, and if it's a turn-on for him, then great. 

She broke the kiss, slapped him hard, and when Lucius was too taken aback to fight her, now she pushed him back in the huge bed and got the top of him.

She expected a lot of reactions, not a cunningly entertained smile accompanied with reddening fingerprints on that smug mug.

"Am I interrupting your line of thought if I said I wanted to talk to you first?" he then just asked her, and Hermione was not sure Lucius just wasn't trying to get back in control again with a trick.

Then again, he seemed to comfortably just lie there underneath her and was already sporting a semi, so maybe he was enjoying this.

"About? The rules Narcissa told you to keep maybe?"

"I'm actually - I wanted to tell you I don't believe in that _shit_ anymore. It was a mistake to join, just as the last time when we met only the two of us, for what I wanted to apologize," Lucius said, and he either meant it or loved his wife and family enough to lie for the sake of them perfectly. "But I can tell you what Cissa advised me about as well if you want to know."

"Tell me about the rules," Hermione said, almost feeling now ridiculous on the top of her husband's father while talking. 

But if it was like a game, she wanted to know how much was at stake every turn when you passed the start line.

"There is only one, but she did talk to me at great length before that," Lucius admitted.

"What we were just doing, then, is that part of it?" Hermione wondered because it would be… entertaining(?) to try figure something like that out but had to know what was real and what was an act.

Although she wasn't convinced it mattered. Trying to make the best of a situation might require sometimes helpful lies, after all.

"Which I'm hoping to get back to, after this?" the wizard suggested. "No, that was just me after Cissa almost took my head for being stupid admitting she was right."

And with that, he was now pulling Hermione down to another kiss, still in control despite being stranded her, but not for too long.

It didn't even seem embarrassing or anything out of ordinary now, Hermione did have a fighting spirit for the oppressed in her whole life, in a way, only it never occurred to her that she should fight for herself as well.

And Lucius surrendered to her, but still keeping his raw masculinity because it was seeping through the seams of his act: he wasn't afraid of giving her power over himself because he had trust in his power without always having it in the display.

And that was attractive, and just in comparison, nothing like their last time together.

Still, after long and long and looong minutes of kissing, biting, licking, sucking, pressing, touching, rolling, grinding, and still in a sense competing, there was something unnatural that Hermione could also grasp now as Narcissa's rule, but not consciously get yet.

"This is taking awfully long," she never thought she'd say to anyone she was having sex with, given the tendency of males to not take long at all.

Hell, surely she didn't think she'd be impatient to finally have Lucius Malfoy out of everyone inside her so badly she'd even tell him that, but she was on the other side.

Her braveness wasn't direct like Harry's for instance, but building up. There were two sides. On one hand, she was quiet, composed and using her head. 

On the other side, however, if a situation was dragging on that wasn't supposed to be, she just stopped caring. And started doing, feeling overwhelming emotions that overwritten her logic, and doing things in a rush, as if part of a high.

And after Lucius kissing her that day it just switched. She just got to the other side, almost as if it was magic.

"I'm glad you've noticed. The only thing Narcissa made me promise to do no matter what…"

"Not having me?"

"Not entering you until you actually tell me you want me to do it," Lucius said and paused to see her expression.

Hermione thought it was a very Slytherin and a good idea, actually.

"So now you're actually warring with yourself, trying to hold back, Mr. Malfoy?" she decided to be very cruel about it, and use her body just as well as her voice when she whispered this into his ear.

"You don't wish to provoke me," Lucius just said, but his voice was hoarse.

"Maybe you're terribly mistaken though," she just said.

That was all, and the blond wizard actually hissed now, lifting her up, and pushed Hermione down with a dazzling power, and then pushing his now fully erect member into her with one thrust.

"You... broke the promise," was all Hermione managed to say when he now also attached her throat and nibbled on a spot that made her body arch up to his touch.

"I'm Lord Malfoy… No one will tell me what to do," he said, his words lost somewhat in the background since Hermione's senses were starting to overload.

She always knew Lucius wasn't _that_ old and terribly _unattractive_ but she had never seen this side of him.

Almost annoyingly charming, and if he wanted he could…

Hermione only realized she was enjoying having sex with him when they were now moving in sync, pushing and pulling sometimes quite the opposite way but with a building rhythm and a force, the pressure building up in her body that felt as if it was threatening to tear her skin and insides apart.

Her heartbeat was probably erratic as well, feeling strangely calm yet beating fast, and it was even more so when something of glass broke, surprising her.

"My mistake," Lucius just quickly said, probably trying to comfort her. "Haven't lost… control like that since… years."

Meaning he was getting close too, and properly containing his magic wasn't on his mind right now.

"You can… afford another lamp,… surely," she just breathed back, more teasing than actually thinking he'd have to buy one when the elves surely can charm it back together again.

"Forget that," he just said, quite seriously, not wanting her to ponder about the topic, or at all, if it was any indication how deep he managed to thrust into her angling his hips, probably on purpose, making Hermione's body involuntary shudder by the sudden wave of pleasure it sent up in her spine.

Still, if anything, she was to have the last word.

"Make me."

And Lucius did, and Hermione stepped into the blinding white forcefield of orgasm where it comes over you with such a force that you almost stop existing for just a bit, stepping out of this plane of existence to another. 

Another with higher power and spelling you to not exist yet still do, only just as if you were composed solely of light and pleasure and satisfied prayers.

She wasn't even aware Lucius finished with her, or that he was holding onto her as they were finished and lay there panting when the gravity of earth struck her again, and she was dragged back to her body, to reality.

Truth was: she just had Lucius Malfoy's better side collide with her wild side, and the result was something that she didn't think they could aspire for.

She was certain that even if Ron hadn't left and it wasn't war, and she'd actually end up marrying him because of temporary madness or something, he was a hundred years early to compare to anything Lucius just easily had with her.

"Narcissa was so right, if I wasn't married to her I should once again be," Lucius just noted, but he was smiling. And Hermione didn't pull away when he came close to her as if for a kiss, but then only gave one her on her cheek. "And we have to recreate this situation as well as talking about other interesting choices later… but you should go. It is risky you're here at all, and now you seem just as spent as I feel."

Hermione did give him a "who's fault is that?" look, but also was now suddenly feeling as if her limbs were made out of heaviness, just as her eyelids, as an addict coming down from the last remnants of a high, so she let the Apparition-magic take her next to Draco, and managed to utter a cleaning spell on herself before falling asleep.

And her last thought was how it was awkward having Draco so close before when Lucius mistreated her, but also how it can be difficult even when quite the opposite was true and she didn't wish for Draco to figure out _how much_ exactly.


	8. New friends and old enemies

Hermione has learned a quite useful spell in her fourth year.

Reason behind that was, she wanted to have sex with Viktor, but he was never left alone by all the fans and peering eyes.

Nor did she want Ron and Harry knew about it, nor Rita Skeeter, nor the girls in Gryffindor for that matter.

So she looked for a solution and transformed Viktor to look like someone else - his head, for it wasn't really necessary to waste magic transforming his whole body back and forth, with an old spell form a book in the Restricted section. 

She snuggled it out like she always did books from there: a simple switching spell with another book and no alarms were triggered, nor did Pince notice an empty slot where it should have been none.

That was the Transfiguration spell Viktor used later for the second task actually, Hermione letting him take it while feeling terrible she could not give it to Harry and had to lie she didn't know any solution how to breathe underwater.

It would have been apparent if 2 champions used the same trick. And she trusted Viktor with complex magic as this more than Harry at that age frankly.

But, it might have just saved Harry's life now.

She cast the same spell when they were captured, and no matter what happened, he wouldn't be revealed as Harry Potter until someone undid the charm on him, and only she knew about it.

Beside Harry, of course.

When Bella tortured Hermione regularly, and she was taken back to a cell in the dungeons, she still could sometimes have a glimpse at the guy she turned Harry into, and she knew he was alive.

But ever since her time with Alfie and her marriage, it has been impossible for her to just visit said dungeons, too many people keeping an eye on her.

Voldemort, the Malfoys, Bella, literary every Death Eater, not to mention the elves who were either instructed by the Malfoys or Lord Voldemort himself to spy on her because she sometimes felt spots of elf-magic close.

Even if they were invisible, now that she was used to not having a wand for every magic she did, she could sense the magic better, and the magic of elves was… capricious, light and differently wired than the wizards' and witches', easy to detect.

And the doors locked themselves at night. Like a fortress, keeping her locked up.

But it was still the Malfoy Manor, no matter how Voldemort took it over, and Malfoys could override the locks.

Hermione took Draco's DE cloak and mask one night, in the middle of the night when she woke from a nightmare, obtaining a good visual cover, and used her wand that was monitored for something that she can claim to have put on herself.

Especially after a bad dream. A sleeping charm on Draco, and… taking his signet Malfoy ring from the nightstand, and voila. 

The door opened in front of her to her will. 

She was a Malfoy now, after all, parading with the current heir's treasured property, which meant his magic swept into it deep enough for the wards of the Manor to just accept she wanted to get out of the room.

She hurried along and didn't meet a soul scurrying to the dungeon, except Wormtail, who approached her just at the dungeon's steel bars, and she could barely get rid of him fearing she was suspicious hiding behind the mask for too long when she obviously wasn't on a mission, but he was a simpleton.

He was just happy to talk to a fellow Death Eater, and he seemed even more entertained by the fact that she was a woman, and Hermione used that to send him away.

She was shaking by the time she got into the dungeons, peering into the cells in the low light.

If Harry was dead, did the side of the light have any chance at all? 

She no longer cared about her own life, she always had a bearable life at the Manor now, even if that was madness, but to lose hope and her best friend was an unbearable thought.

She had to still keep up a façade when she found Harry though, so the other prisoners would just think a Death Eater took him, and if he didn't come back, he was dead, not freed, pulling attention, but when she looked at him - terribly underweight now, his hair charmed to be less messy yet still a mess, and not sleeping, covered in dirt - she felt herself almost starting to cry.

"You, you're with me," she told him, pointing a wand at him as if she could use it without Voldemort knowing about it. "Let's have a little fun now, shall we?"

Harry gave her a look and didn't move. And she was so proud: whatever he went through, they hadn't managed to break him.

"Why should I?"

"How about I kill your cellmate first if you don't comply?" she just said, because knowing him it was the only way to get to him.

She wondered if he'd recognize her voice, but maybe Harry was kept long enough to not really hope anymore because he didn't.

She had led him out, to the lanai where Narcissa took her since she knew there were windows that opened to the outside, and there were no guards around it.

Making sure they were alone, she pulled off the mask, and hugged Harry tight, wasting time, yet…

"Hermione? What-? HOW?" he was hugging her back with drained magic and faintly capable limbs.

She should have thought about how he was probably starved, giving him some food and water before freeing him, but she was also so worried the elves would definitely find her if she wasted time, she didn't even stop to consider that.

"Forget about me, I… have an arrangement with a few people. I am safe. But you need to leave, Harry, and quick too," she just talked quickly.

"You're coming with me then," he wasn't asking, he was stating that as something that wasn't debatable.

"I… I need to help out some people who would be killed otherwise," she just said, no way going with him, although she really wished she could. 

By then she didn't have the heart to leave the Malfoys behind.

"Then bring them with us, hurry," Harry said, and wasn't that absurd, him telling her something like that. Had he known who they were, he'd probably be reluctant to say at least.

"Harry, just trust me, please. I cannot leave now, but you _have to._ Or I just risked my life for nothing, and they might figure it's you since I tried to save you-"

"Hermione-"

Then, they were both frozen by the shock when someone spoke up from behind them.

"Anddd what exactly do we have here?"

Hermione didn't have to turn to know it was Snape. His menacing voice changed not a bit since their school days.


	9. Friends or Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am NOT planning on having Harry/Hermione elements in this fic, the first couple of lines are all we need to endure on that front. Promise!

Hermione quickly assessed the situation and kissed probably the last person on earth she'd want to, given that Harry was like a brother to her.

If she could say he was her lover, them bonding in capture, she might get punished, and Harry as well, but still maybe have a chance to get Harry out later. Alive. 

And that was all that mattered.

"Enough!" Snape pulled her away before she could really feel sick about it happening, and seemed irritated as well. "Explain yourself now, _Miss Malfoy,_ or should I just call the others? My master? Waking him?"

"Malfoy?" Harry just turned to her, his unfamiliar features now pulled in disgust.

Maybe because she just kissed him, or the Malfoy name, or both.

"Well, just because Voldemort forced me to marry Malfoy, I still love him," she took Harry's hand, who was now probably too much in shock to even parrot a "Malfoy?!" back at her.

"You're lying and doing a pathetic job at it-" Snape just said, stepping closer to intimidate maybe, but she was no longer afraid.

For Harry maybe but for herself - she was stronger now.

"Can I just ask what is this ruckus at this ungodly hour?" was Lucius appearing there a good thing or not, Hermione couldn't decide. "I couldn't help but notice the noise since you're conversing right under my windows."

Sly Narcissa... 

Of course, she took Hermione to _this particular_ lanai before so they'll be overheard friendly chatting by Lucius, probably already serving to get him to loosen up with Hermione later.

"Lucius, you should just get back to your beauty sleep," Snape just said, with sarcasm in his voice. "I was taking a prisoner under the Dark Lord's orders for Nagini's next meal, just running into Miss Granger by accident."

Hermione didn't know why he lied, but there was no way she'd let Snape take Harry away. 

Between Snape and Lucius, she mistrusted Lucius less.

"No, that's actually not true, Mr. Malfoy," she quickly told the blond, who by now was eyeing her cloak in a way she'd noticed, but Snape didn't. "I… this prisoner actually is-"

"The one Draco said you can keep around as a wedding gift?" Lucius now just helped her out, eying her with an expression she certainly couldn't read. "Hm, he isn't _that_ pretty, but maybe you're drawn to other qualities?"

Now, she almost felt like Lucius seen her kissing Harry, and was jealous. 

Except that didn't make any sense, given he loved Narcissa and if he wasn't forced to have her, he surely wouldn't have.

Maybe he was just irritated she'd gotten them in trouble. Or that she kissed someone so in need of a bath when she'd be probably kissing him soon next.

Not if Voldemort killed her and Harry though if they were caught.

"Yes, I'm certainly drawn to this one," however, she had to lie. "And Draco would like him as well, surely."

To Harry's credit, he did grab Hermione's cloak from the behind as if to gain balance hearing that, but he didn't even make a sound, being smart enough.

"Don't make me laugh," Snape, of course, didn't believe the half of it. "I have never been so sure in my life someone was lying, I just don't yet know why, but you, Lucius, to actually lie for _Hermione Granger._ Are you fucking her or something?"

Hermione was so terrified of giving any reaction, even blushing, so she grabbed Harry's hand with a force behind her back, holding back to him as he was to her.

Of course, it meant Harry noticed, but she could talk to him later. 

Or just get him out of this place, and never have a chance to properly explain but at least have him safe. Safer than here, that is.

"I do not share your taste in woman, Severus," Lucius just cruelly smiled. "Or was Lil-"

"Don't even _DARE_ to- I- she was just a good liar that's all!" Hermione didn't know Snape could be so provoked and irritated and flustered by half a sentence. And Snape was now looking at Harry from the corner of his eyes while trying to regain his cool in front of Lucius. "And I could go to the Dark Lord right now, and just ask him if he let any of his prisoners to be taken in in any capacity by your son, and we should see then-"

"Go ahead then, wake the Lord now, and see how he feels when you nag him past midnight with senseless questions. _Of course_ he knows! And then see how as your best friend, I feel about you, snooping around in my home, questioning my family's business," Lucius said, but he was probably getting ready to strike Snape down if he had to, just as Hermione thought that worst case she could use her wand, tracing charm or not.

Only, the Dark Lord took Lucius' wand, and now he was using a replacement that used to belong his great-uncle or something. 

It meant he'd start any confrontation with Snape from a disadvantage.

"I'm willing to pretend as if nothing happened if you hand over the prisoner to me, no harm done, Luc?" Snape still stood his ground, his previous flustering gone. "After all, we are best friends, as you say."

"That _we are,_ but I see no reason to hand you over a prisoner of the Manor to you. Unless you give me a reason why he's important."

"Granger might have told him things. Like where Potter is. I have Veritaserum at hand and could try to get everything for our Lord and our mission, Lucius-"

"I do not wish to harm you, Severus, but as I've said this boy is to be a pet to my son and daughter-in-law, and I can tell you're lying. Just as well about this as about other things. Should maybe the Dark Lord know about this if it came to a serious fight between us, for I'd duel you, I'd really do if I have to, maybe he will see you are dishonest-"

"I have _no idea_ what you're talking about, but I'm leaving. Something just come up at Hogwarts and I have to rush back," Snape said, just when Hermione thought they were really going to duel over Harry, whom they both had no idea was actually Harry.

Lucius turned to her just as Snape left, spelled bonds on Harry, dragged Hermione away from him and hissed at her.

"Have you no idea how much that lie cost me?! I can say goodbye to the last friend I had in the ranks of the Death Eaters. Are you _fucking him?_ "

Thoughts were racing through her mind.

Yes, she had gotten to somewhat bear the Malfoys, and they seemed to have enough of Voldemort since the Dark Lord only tortured them lately. 

However, she wondered - if they were given the chance to redeem themselves and change that by handing over Harry Potter to him, would they even hesitate before take that as an advantage?

"I am," she lied through her teeth, protecting Harry even with her life if she had to, so her dignity was almost nothing in comparison. "Do you have a problem with that, Mr. Malfoy?"

Lucius looked at her feral as if he could just strangle her with his bare hands, but didn't hit her, curse her or yelled, which was good.

"I have a problem how hormones obviously are making you act irrationally, that I do not tolerate from any Malfoy, and will have to punish you for later," he then said, probably when he was calm enough to, but his voice still seemed forced. "But I appreciate your honesty."

It was almost a chance or so it seemed.

"So just let him go, and you never have to worry about me losing my head because of him again," Hermione knew she was pushing her luck, but she'd have to get Harry out of here, the sooner the better.

Snape could have heard her calling Harry by name for all they knew, and was gone now, but would be back to meddle about the issue later, probably.

She wanted Harry be far gone by then. 

The last thing they needed was Dumbledore's killer provoking Harry, because he certainly knew how to push Harry's buttons.

Harry would probably yell at his face he was Harry Potter even without Veritaserum or Legilimency, and then he was dead.

"You just heard me telling Snape, who is the Dark Lord's right-hand now, in case you didn't notice, that I let you and my son borrow the prisoner. So that's where he shall be. I trust you can give lover boy a bath while I wake my wife?"

She must have been obvious what for, because Lucius just told her.

"She's best at damage control. And Merlin know we're going to dearly need that."


	10. Pick a Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this version, Ron left and never came back to Harry and Hermione, so they were captured only as a duo, Snape had to save the drowning Harry in the Forest of Dean.

Hermione wanted to get Harry out still, but he wouldn't let go.

So, Narcissa did use her people-skills on Voldemort himself, petitioning for Harry to be able to stay with Draco and Hermione, and the Dark Lord not only allowed them to "keep the prisoner to spice their marriage a little bit up", but also applauded her for "the creative usage of magical prisoners".

After Hermione was buried alive with Alfie, indeed she thought it could have been hard for Tom to come up with other tortures as well, something more shocking and original, probably…

Harry got a slave-collar though, which was good and terrible news all the same.

Convenient, because it bore the Malfoy crest and therefore Harry now was protected from Snape, who could no longer claim to want to own Malfoy property.

Bad, because it dampened Harry's magic, and it meant he didn't count as a human anymore.

Good, because now Harry could stay with Hermione, and even snore softly next to her - he took up the middle of her and Draco's huge bed now, saying he was protecting her from Draco - which she missed dearly, especially when she was worried sick if he was still alive-

And terrible, because Harry's presence reminded her of something she chose to forget.

She tossed and turned, and found herself a lot of times unable to sleep since Harry was there with her, and not commenting on her strange behavior, but eying her with silent almost-disappointment.

As if she was a traitor, and she supposed in a way she was.

Then again, sometimes, even Harry was surprised it seemed.

Like one morning, when he was having a shower, and Draco didn't realize that and went to use the loo.

Hermione would have thought they'd kill each other if Draco ever would see Harry naked, given that Harry's body was not changed at all by the spell Hermione did, making it his own, and even though Harry couldn't do magic now, he could still use anything to strangle Draco with…

But Harry came back to the room with a wet hairdo, and they were both laughing with the younger Malfoy.

So, she had to ask.

"He told me I shouldn't cover myself up with the shower-curtain since I have a sizeable package even to brag," Harry later told her, making her laugh as well, it sounded so absurd. "I'm telling you if he'd ever realized it's actually me, and he gave me that compliment, he'll Adava himself, probably."

Despite how they giggled at Draco's expense, it also meant one thing: Harry was also caught under the charm of the Malfoys, and nowhere close to complete his mission with the Horcruxes.

So, when one day Snape appeared, at lunchtime when the whole Malfoy family was already at the table, including Harry, Hermione almost stoically accepted when Snape closed the door with magic and sealed off the room with impenetrable spells so that they won't be overheard.

"Are you on the dark side now, Miss Granger?"

"I'm on my husbands' side only now, Mr. Snape, and you were kind enough to know my name has changed the last time you addressed me, so I have faith in that you can do it again," spending time with Narcissa definitely gave her some Slytherin way of talking, that was for sure.

"Very well, Mrs. Malfoy. Do you serve the Dark Lord now, since you're husband is a Pureblood?" Snape asked her crudely, stepping closer to intimidate her. It didn't work anymore.

"Aren't we all, Mr. Snape. Or you don't?" she had no reason to tell truth.

"You don't need to worry yourself about my loyalties, of course, fear not, Mrs. Malfoy," he just similarly said, but being a lot more respectable towards her which indicated he wanted something.

Probably Harry, on a silver plate, to give over to Voldemort?

Except, he'd already killed Dumbledore, and had no real reason to try to gain favors from the Dark Lord when he was up in the food-chain already, in the circle of Death Eaters just as much as Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Or maybe, he hated Harry's dad so much it was enough for him to want to kill Harry as well? Did Snape want to destroy the light side's last hope to gain even more power along with Voldemort, faithfully staying by his side?

Hermione doubted that but also feared it because he was once her teacher and she always had respected authority so much she found hard to believe a teacher could be a shameless killer?

She didn't have the same problem with Quirrell, though.

"What did Lucius mean when he said he didn't have the same taste as you in women?" she then just finds herself asking, because she had wondered how flustered Snape got then, and to check on his reactions.

This time, there was none.

"Mrs. Malfoy, I ask you this. What did Harry Potter say when he destroyed the locket with the sword the last time you spoke to him?"

It wasn't the last, and he's probably doing the same as Hermione was doing to him: trying to figure the answer from her posture, way of talking, or a tell.

But… no one knew about the locket and the sword, even Hermione wasn't there. Harry mentioned he'd found the sword in the lake, a silver doe leading him to it and how he almost drowned but never said anything else.

And if Snape knew about that…

"Let me tell you what I think," Snape now stepped so close to her as he possibly could without touching her, but even so his voice was so low she had to almost guess what he was saying. "I think the prisoner you tried to rescue is Harry Potter somehow changed, and you still must think of him as a friend because no matter how you can lead a content life with the Malfoys now, you still didn't give him up to them, not wishing he'd die."

"I must say, you have a good sense of humor, as well as imagination," she said, trying to turn away from him, but he grabbed her arm and went on.

"And if you don't want him to die, you'd have to help me, even if that means giving up your comfortable life with the Malfoys."

Comfortable? That was oddly infuriating to be thought of somebody who'd switch sides just because she was married into the Malfoy family! How dare Snape even think that!

But maybe it was to provoke her, and even though it worked, she wasn't going to fall for a trap like that.

"I can assure you, Mr. Snape, that I don't know what you mean by any of this, and you should be careful. Saying that I'd need your help if I was on Harry Potter's side might not be a smart thing to do when-"

"What if it was me who gave the sword to Potter, saved his life when he was drowning in the pond, and placed the replica of the sword so that it wouldn't be missed?"

"I'd say you're making things up now," Hermione just fake-smiled at him, but just to hide her indecision. Harry never mentioned how he got out of the freezing pond, and Snape at least should not know anything about the sword…

Hermione was tortured by Bella to tell her about the sword, yet she didn't. So how Snape got the information?

"Quick trivia then, just to commemorate old classes we used to have, Mrs. Malfoy. Could a person fake a Patronus, other than what's rightfully theirs?"

"To my extent of knowledge, not," she supplied, now definitely worried where this was going.

"And could a Death Eater have one at all?"

"It's not my place to judge your potency in magic, sir," she just said, trying to annoy him, but it must have missed the mark, because he just cast the Patronus Charm, and a silver doe sprinted out of it.

And with the look he was giving her, she was sure he knew it was the same Patronus Harry followed to the sword and knew it only because he was somehow there. Saving Harry's life, as he did before.

"Dumbledore-"

"Was my best friend and dying anyway," Snape didn't waste any time to deny now, seeing how he knew she got to the right conclusion.

"So the woman Lucius mentioned-"

"Not that it matters, but it was Lily Potter. Lily Evans when I knew her as a child," he gravely said. "But if you tell this to Potter ever…"

"We still have a problem, Harry being a Malfoy property now," Hermione kept her features in check.

It really was a bomb dropped on her to think about how Snape was in love with Harry's mom, but there was no use to further examine that issue right now, other than her knowing she could trust Snape, and therefore admitting to what the wizard has probably overheard before anyway: that Harry was indeed Harry in disguise.

"But you're also one," Snape noted.

"Yet, the owner of Harry is Draco alone."

"I was afraid it was like that, but hoped you were included in the bond," Snape said, now pacing in the room as if upset. "You really should have handed him over to me, when we had a choice…"

"You could have tried to explain to me we were on the same side, as you managed to do now," Hermione just warned him, making Snape give her only a sneer.

"And expose my cover in front of Draco Malfoy's wife? Lucius' toy?"

She didn't blush, but it wasn't heartwarming to hear the second part still either.

"Well, as much fun it is to trade insults with you, Mr. Snape, should we not try to concentrate on the solution?" she just asked. "We have taken down all but 3 Horcruxes, so if Harry can't do it-"

"I cannot either. I have too much going on in Hogwarts, if I'm not there, students are tortured."

"I'm a prisoner here, so-"

"What about Weasley, is he dead?"

"He isn't but might as well be. Maybe we could trust the Malfoys?"

Snape now laughed into her face.

"You're _delusional!_ Who did open the Chamber once again? Who would give almost anything to get back into the Dark Lord's good graces? Mark my words, Granger, if Lucius Malfoy managed to convince you he's any decency at all, he's all but trying to-"

"Go on, old friend, I'm interested to hear this one. What am I doing?" Lucius just asked, now in the door.


	11. Take My Wand Once

When Snape didn't move or talk, Lucius turned to close it, stepping into the room.

"Funny that you should think less of me, Severus, that in my own Mansion I cannot tell when a room is sealed of without my permission, no matter how unique spells you use."

"So what are you going to do? Run to the Dark Lord?" Snape didn't even flinch or tried to deny.

Given everything, Hermione admired that courage.

"I am an opportunist, wouldn’t you say, Severus? And there is no more gain for my family on the Dark Lord's side," Lucius just said, making Hermione wonder. "When he took my wand from me… let's say it _affected_ my motivation to serve him."

"This is exactly the thing you'd say if you were just trying to get more information out of me now, though," the Potion Master noted, and Hermione would have given everything just to get out of the room.

Meanwhile, they were yet to establish if the Malfoys could be really trusted and how to approach that issue in a smart way, her reactions could already give away more then she was willing, to someone like Lucius.

Especially Lucius, since he knew about her reactions in some extreme cases as well, having _substantial base material_ to compare to, if you will.

"I'm willing to make an Oath. But if we succeed and the Light manages to win, I want my family coming out on top. Saying we were essential to help with that victory along, and that we were changed in our ways so much that we married our son to Hermione Granger not because we were forced but because we also secretly approved of their love."

"And Bella?"

"Not even Cissa likes to be around her anymore, she's lost it in Azkaban. A true Slytherin should know better, even with everything going on."

"Give the vow to Granger, not me, in case I'm discovered, and we'll be in touch, and I'll let you know what you'll need to know in time," Snape said, just before unblocking the spells that kept the room sealed, so that the elder Malfoy couldn't even argue him. "And try not to throw out your back, in the process, it would be such a petty if the Dark Lord would have to ask you how that happened, no?"

And with that, he was gone, while Lucius stood there smiling.

"Speaking of, Hermione," and when she thought he'd say something about the vow, or how they should avoid suspicion and get to breakfast fast, she was proved wrong. "The way your boyfriend is now teasing my son and giggling with him… If I didn't know better I'd say he's gay. Are you sure he wasn't just using you?"

"Like maybe you use _my love_ for your son to say you supported the winning side all along, no matter which side it will be?" Hermione just found herself saying that, when he stepped closer, also pulling her close enough for a kiss, but not reaching for her.

"I don't have a problem with him admiring my son, dedicated and somewhat pleasant servants are hard to find anyway," Lucius added, now reaching for her face while he was speaking. "And maybe Draco experiment around for a while if they are discreet about it, no harm done. But if I was to support the Light side, we need to think about how everything on our side looks, and we'll need to get rid of him. For the sake of believability of your and Draco's love just as well as our humanity with Narcissa choosing not to have lesser wizards as slaves…"

Hermione just hoped the "getting rid of" part did not entail anything like murder, only relocation, but that didn't make her any less resistant when Lucius finally kissed her.

He wasn't changed at all, and Snape was totally right, she was delusional to even think so.

After all, he just said he'll use her to say he was on the right side all along, and talked about Harry as a "lesser wizard" just in front of her, so it didn't even need a big brain to process that even if he acted as if he changed towards Hermione, it was just an act because the Malfoys needed her.

And if on Lucius' part she was just that, a tool, she could have easily been the same on Narcissa's side, her being a better liar than a man only, probably.

To distract herself, she thought about Harry.

He did seem to enjoy "having dirt" on Draco too much as if it was just an excuse to interact with him, but to go as far as Lucius did and say he was gay?

Along the many things that happened lately, Hermione's last concern was if Harry was attracted to wizards.

But if he was, wouldn't she have noticed? And shouldn't she talk with him? Maybe support him, if it's true?

After all, Lucius was not the one to be mistaken about people, when his family's good name was on the line.

Thinking about Harry solved her own doubts, now being able to turn back to Lucius.

"Anyone can just wander in, Mr. Malfoy," she just told him, as if it was an excuse. "And I'm in the lucky position to have your son as my husband, you see. Surely, he's in no position to need anyone else but me."

"Merlin, you must be really into your new pet," Lucius mistook her resistance as an attraction to someone else. "When he's already sinking his claws into my son, just now, and you're so emotional you can't even see…"

No, maybe she was emotional and blind about someone else. 

At least, the nasty way Lucius was now acting towards her, ever since he found her with Harry at night, seemed more like his honest side than the one he was only _once_ with her, telling how he no longer believed in any of it.

"Is your son gay then, Lucius?" she just asked, rather than denying being emotional _while_ getting all emotional about it.

"He might not know what's best for him yet, that is all."

"Still, he has two people in his bed every night, managing to keep them close, while your wife doesn't even sleep in yours," Hermione just used the information she had from Narcissa to make her point. "Maybe it's not him who isn't clear about what's best for everyone, it seems."

She really shouldn't have angered Lucius, not when he was willing to help them and Snape, putting the Malfoy's resources on the side of the Light. 

Not to mention had a connection to Bellatrix whom Harry though had a Horcrux now, which could be useful to say at least.

Not when she could almost fool herself into thinking she was attracted to him - just so that they'd have a more _comfortable_ \- as Snape would say - relationship if she truly believed that, given that they still had to have sex regularly.

But she wanted to be upset, a small part of her.

Harry told her the Death Eaters took Luna, and they never bought her back. 

Maybe she was taken for another "experiment" like Hermione with Alfie and was okay now, but the other opportunity of what that could mean seemed to her more likely.

And that only made her think, somewhere deep, even before Lucius acting crudely, that some crimes are not so easily forgiven.

And she wished thinking about that kept her from also thinking Lucius was still hot, and how he could be witty and entertaining and _believably human_ if he chose to be.

"I… You know I value you ten times more than your lover-boy," Lucius managed to grab her before she could reach the door.

"Unless if he has a value after the war proving your ways weren't that wicked as they often seemed to be," she just said, because ironically it was true. 

He was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and if Lucius knew… he'd probably _order_ Draco to get friendly with Harry, even if he wasn't gay like Harry was.

Because he was, wasn't he? Hermione didn't remember figuring that out but wasn't at all surprised by the revelation either, so she's been probably suspecting it.

"I apologize. I guess I'm just saying things I don't mean because-" Lucius said, now asking her to forgive and forget everything the second time.

"It's in every Malfoy's self-preserving, coward nature?" she guessed, her voice a bit cruel.

"Because I'm jealous. I saw you kiss the boy-"

"He's a man, and my friend, but nothing more. But as for the topic of-" she couldn't finish her line of thought when Lucius kissed her again.

Her self-hatred just grew when she kissed back, but it was a pull she couldn't fight. Her conscience and her traitorous desire for the enemy - which Lucius technically wasn't even anymore? - weren't connected as they were supposed to in a decent human being.


	12. Forgive and Forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Drarry ahead = M/M

When Hermione came back to their room just after dinner, not only there was Draco and Harry obviously having sex on the bed they all shared, but Harry was on top, and Draco was so preoccupied with it he didn't even notice her.

Not that Harry's eye snapping at her and his movements stilling for just a second was better.

She found herself backing out to the corridor without saying a word, not wanting them to stop on her own accord, yet it also meant she'd found herself without accommodation for the night.

She couldn't help but be flustered to knock on Lucius' door when he didn't call for her tonight.

But the door opened with magic anyway, Lucius standing there, then seeing it was her, stepping to the side to let her in.

"I take it you wish to have the oath now?" he just said, this time motioning her to another room that was connected to the bedroom with a double door, and where a grand desk stood - it must have been his office.

"It would be only smart," she quickly said, because if she had him swearing he was on their side, she could also reveal why she cannot return to her room for now.

"Do you wish to write it down on paper first? Let me give you a quill-"

"It's unnecessary, I have everything in my head already," she just motioned, and told him what she was composing in her head ever since their talk with Snape.

Lucius only wanted to change one thing, then surprised her by recounting the whole vow by heart after.

When it was done, Hermione thought she'd cease to be nervous, but she still was.

"You were right, and Draco's new slave is gay," she then just decided to get over with the confession.

"They are doing it right now, aren't they?" Lucius huffed, seemingly not impressed. "And knowing my son, he's under that nobody-"

Hermione decided to not comment on the later, but rather, told the Malfoy patriarch the truth, now that he could not reveal it to Voldemort - or anyone else, for that matter, not even Narcissa.

"Actually, about that slave. He's not someone I met in captivity, nor my boyfriend. He was captured with me, and is under a glamour I put on him."

Lucius repressed his reaction, but the corner of his lips twitched.

"What are you suggesting?"

"That he's not just a nobody, but my best friend. Harry Potter," she said, making Lucius eye her now with an annoyed impression.

"Harry Potter has been our prisoner for months now and is fucking my son?"

"Seems so," she said, almost laughing. Indeed, there were some things not even Lucius Malfoy could see coming.

"Am I supposed to feel better by hearing that?" he stood with a sudden motion, then looked out on his window, keeping his back towards her. "That the Savior that's supposed to save our world is not just so incompetent that he was captured, but also makes bad choices?"

"I would argue that-"

"Where in this world do you think Harry Potter and my son would make a good couple?"

"I'd say it's only a teenage romance that is bound to burn out before it's even started. Or, alternatively, your son is just making sure your family stands on the _very good_ side of Harry Potter, and when the war ends, maybe Harry will favor you."

"It's not the _way_ I want to have that, not to mention-"

"Oh, because it's okay for you to fuck me, but Harry can't fuck your son?"

"It's not the same!"

"No, indeed not. Luna Lovegood was both a friend of mine and Harry's and she's probably dead," Hermione stated not raising her voice, yet not even realizing she lost her temper along the way, much less understanding why she was protecting Draco and Harry, when Lucius was technically right, and it wasn't really smart from either of their sides.

Not to mention, Draco didn't know it was Harry and could flip if he was to find out probably.

"Some Death Eaters have died as well. We are at war," Lucius now calmly said, almost as if Hermione's anger calmed his previous temper he had on since he had learned about what his son was doing and with whom. "But if it makes you feel any better, she was deemed to be turned to a werewolf by Fenrir, and I don't think she's dead, only she's now with him."

"Much better, she's a monster's possession," Hermione sighed.

"Fenrir is a monster, but not with those who belong to his pack," Lucius went on, sitting back in his armchair, leaning back on it. "Much like my favoritism towards my own family. Maybe I was too soft on Draco, causing him to find senseless idiots like Potter attractive…"

"Senseless idiots, who were arguably smarter at the age of 12 than yourself?" Hermione just laughed.

First, because shit was shit, and it was nothing new. Only the forms it appeared in.

Second, Luna was alive. And if her love for creatures made her not hate her werewolf form, and if Fenrir was bearable, maybe she wasn't in pain.

Even though she was a slave, much like Hermione.

" _Arguably,_ " Lucius just smiled back, trying to give her a scolding look, but failing. "So, are you staying in my bed tonight?"

"I don't know - what would that entail?" Hermione smiled, because she could really use some release, and if she was willing to be honest about it, she must have been suffering from Stockholm syndrome because she wanted Lucius.

She could not imagine the same thing happening though if she was forced to do it with Fenrir for instance.

"Sleeping?" Lucius just inquired, as if that was only normal between them.

"Isn't that too boring for your taste, Mr. Malfoy?" she found herself saying before she registered that maybe she shouldn't.

Luckily, Lucius just smiled back.


	13. Price of the Past to Pay

Hermione was surely teleported back to their bed with Draco in the middle of the night because she faintly remembered falling asleep in Lucius' arms, and she woke up in the middle of the night, cold.

She just groaned, turning to her other side, fishing for a blanket around her without opening her eyes, still half asleep, but that only made Harry speak up.

"I appreciate your interest, Hermione, but I'm gay."

"I was just looking for a blank-" Hermione laughed softly, opening her eyes now, because Harry never admitted to that before, and even if they both knew it was true, it still was a thing to acknowledge and support Harry if he needed-

But when she opened her eyes and took in the still shadowy room around them, this line of thought was knocked out of her mind immediately.

Everything was shattered around her, even the window panes, the furniture and all of the blankets as well shredded, no wonder she couldn't find any.

They were laying on the naked bed-mattress with Harry, even without a usable pillow, but a lot of feathers around the room, and no sight of Draco.

"You are my best friend, no matter what, you know that," Hermione just forced herself to the topic at hand which deserved higher priority than the room she started to fix with a couple of spells in the meanwhile, giving priority to the windows and the furniture first.

"No matter what, you say," Harry just echoed, gesturing to the room. "Even if I'm possibly the dumbest person-"

"You told him, didn't you?" Hermione just guessed because that would explain Draco getting angry enough to destroy a couple of things…

"I did indeed," Harry smiled. "So he ran and never came back, refusing to even talk about it, and my accidental magic destroyed the room, but with a slave collar, I couldn't even fix my torn clothes…"

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Hermione just pulled him close to a hug, hating sometimes that Harry got this life when he could have been so different. Not the Boy Who Lived with all his luck maxed out at age one surviving the killing curse, and now shit kept haunting him. "But honestly, what were you expecting-"

"It was a rouse on my part, I wanted to see how far I can push Draco fucking Malfoy-"

"You mean to see if you _could fuck_ Draco Malfoy," Hermione said because if they were talking about it, they should lay it out on the open fully, no?

"The infamous insight of Hermione Granger," Harry just rolled his eyes at her teasing, continuing. "And turns out it was a prank until it wasn't. And I only realized that when he stormed out of here crying."

"I can't believe you really fell for Draco Malfoy-"

"Says the witch who spent the night where?" Harry just retorted in a similar manner, and they both ended up smiling widely at each other, despite the deep shit they were in.

Draco didn't vow to not tell Harry's secret, so by now, Hermione was sure at least Narcissa knew. If not Bella, the Dark Lord, and the whole horde of Death Eaters, that is.

"So, how upset was Draco?" she inquired, her magic getting to the part where Harry's clothing was put together again as well as the pillows and carpet now, not just the furniture, so she threw the clothing at him.

"I mean… it could have been funny if the twins were here to see it, and-"

" _And_ if you didn't feel like a complete arse about it now?" Hermione warned on Draco's behalf, Merlin only knows why.

No matter how it was probably a defense mechanism, Harry still just said Draco was crying, and then called it funny, and she wasn't having that. 

"Funny" was actually how she as well wouldn't have guessed before she could be protective of the young Malfoy, but times only do not change for the dead.

"You spoke of my heart, Hermione," Harry just quickly recognized he better not argue with her about it, a feat that Ronald was never able to master…

She was thinking of getting up by then, hoping to get to Narcissa and talk to her, because she was a witch who could be persuaded to be reasonable best of the Malfoys, but she froze when the door opened and Draco just slipped into the room, averting his eyes from them, saying nothing.

He even managed to climb to bed next to Hermione, avoiding Harry's almost comically-shocked look, and pulling Hermione close now, almost as if a shield.

"I- what happened?" she asked on a lowered voice, and not because she didn't want Harry to hear.

"I take it you know everything that happened anyway?" Draco just asked, his tone now eerily resembling the Draco Malfoy he used to be at Hogwarts, full of spite and acting all patronizing. "So, I preferred to not share a bed with _our slave_ tonight, since for him it was all but a laugh-"

"I'm not laughing," Harry noted, but his expression was hostile now as well. They have spent years at each other's throats with the blond so if Draco started acting like a prick, it was probably automatic for Harry to follow suit.

"I did walk on you two last night, but this doesn't seem like a good morning after to me-" Hermione tried, but then she was ignored when Draco just talked back to Harry.

"Well, I'm laughing _at myself_ , really, that I thought we had something-"

"This time we do and it's different, Dray-" Harry, at least was trying to get to Malfoy, but it wasn't working.

"Do not call me that! And no, it's really not. I only came back to this room because mother ordered me to, but as far as I'm concerned, if the Dark Lord finds you, you'll just get what you deserve…"

"Oh, that's rich, coming from a supposedly adult wizard who ran to his mummy the first thing he was hurt!" Harry's temper by then hit, and Hermione tried to yell over them and make them stop, but to no avail.

"Yes, I was hurt, Potter, because I was honest about everything with you, but you just-"

"I told you the truth because I wanted to be honest too!" Harry then just snapped, now making Draco fall silent as if he was a tape cut in the middle. "Not to have a laugh, but to tell you now before it gets even worse to tell!"

"I do not believe you, and I do not care!" Draco just said, now making it Harry's turn to shut up and angrily glare.

"And I say I'm going to head to breakfast and have a long talk with Narcissa," Hermione finally got a chance to speak up using the momentary silence. "A time you two should use to make out and make up."

Now they were synchronously looking at her like she was a traitor.

"We're at war, and not exactly easily winning," Hermione just shrugged, trying to not sound pushy about it when she knew she was right. "If you both keep this up, who knows how much regret you'll feel if by a wrong chance of turn or strategy, we all executed and you two won't have a chance to ever talk normally again?"

Or do other things, obviously.

She took it as a good sign when neither guys were now talking back to her or yelling it was the other's fault.

"Not to mention, if we would like to avoid being discovered working against Voldemort then we should work together to avoid said execution if we can, preferably. And hate-sex can be hot too."

"Gross, I know you're talking about my father, _my ears,_ my ears will surely fall off my glorious Malfoy head now," Draco just acted fake-disgusted hearing that, however, that made Harry chuckle. Until Draco now looked at him, and Harry realized he just laughed at Malfoy's poor attempt on a joke, and Draco realized he'd made a joke in Harry's presence at his own expanse.

"Call on the elves to clean if you make a mess on the bedsheet, will you?" Hermione just added, out on the door now, hoping if not sex, Harry and Draco could at least exchange a civil sentence or two before breakfast and somewhat mend the disaster they had, when-

At the breakfast table, she found Narcissa as she was hoping she would, but she was entertaining Voldemort and Bella, who both smiled at Hermione when they saw her. 

Neither was meant to be a friendly greeting, she was quite sure.


	14. Baby, oh baby

"Mrs. Malfoy, please, have a seat," the Dark Lord was uncharacteristically polite, and Bella even pulled out a chair for her with magic, so there was no turning back.

Even if Hermione would have preferred to sit closer to, let's say, Narcissa, and not them.

"I was just telling Narcissa I have big plans for your child, Hermione," the Dark Lord said, and the way he called Hermione by her name, sent an unpleasant sick shiver down on her spine which she didn't forcefully hide.

They'd notice anyway.

"I'm not-"

"Oh, but you didn't even notice?" the Tom stopped her. "I placed a light tracing charm on you, Mrs. Malfoy, to see how often you have sex as well as if there is merit to that, and I'm pleased to say you're with a child."

Hermione's stomach felt as if it was suddenly turned upside down. 

If tracing her Voldemort could easily figure when she had sex, and just once checked that at those occasions, she wasn't with Draco, or even in their room, they could be easily dead within a blink of an eye.

Of course, it was a different thing that she didn't let herself think about how now she was carrying Lucius Malfoy's child.

First, because she didn't fully trust her Occlumency with Tom present in the table, and second because it felt so real. 

She knew they were going for it, yet still hoped it will never come to this.

Especially now, that they were scheming with Snape and the Malfoys to bring Voldemort down. 

She somehow hoped they'd either die or win by the time she'd get pregnant, considering Lucius' age. She wasn't that lucky, it seems.

Now even if they won the war tomorrow, magical babies were almost impossible to abort.

She'd have Draco's little half-brother or sister as a child, even if she decided to give them up for Narcissa and Lucius to raise later.

Even if the war was over and by some miracle her political pretense-marriage as well, she'd always go to any relationship knowing they'll know she was a whore for the Malfoys once, even if most would only think it was Draco.

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting you to be this cooperative with your husband at first, but you've exceeded my expectations, Hermione, I'm pleasantly surprised," the Dark Lord just stated, giving her something that was surely intended to be a smile. Hermione didn't trust herself to try to mimic it.

"Draco should be here for this," Narcissa rose, not even asking for permission. "I'll fetch him."

She could have called the elves, but Hermione had a guess Narcissa wanted Draco to appear now only as an excuse to make sure Harry _won't_ come to the table, not that Voldemort himself was sitting on the very end of it.

"Good morning," Lucius appeared, eyeing Hermione with the apparent wonder as to why she was sitting so close to the Dark Lord and Bella, but then he sat down to the other end of the table. "My Lord, it's a privilege to have you join us."

"I'm sure it is," Voldemort almost but rolled his eyes. "But in case you're wondering why I'm here, it's because we're celebrating."

"Oh?" Lucius' blue eyes wondered between the laughing Bella and the smiling Dark Lord, finally settling on Hermione, just before Draco was ushered to the room by Narcissa.

"Here we are," she said, pushing Draco in a chair next to Hermione, while she sat next to her husband.

"As I said, we're celebrating," Voldemort said, gesturing towards Hermione. "You're going to be grandparents, Lucius, Narcissa. And you, Draco, a father."

Draco went even paler than usual, but that was almost as if it was true, and he paled because of his upcoming "fatherhood".

Hermione saw from the corner of her eyes as Lucius froze for a second, but Narcissa reached out for his hand, and that seemed to wake him up.

"I guess, congratulations are in order then," he then just said, now as composed as ever, patting Narcissa's hand back, as if it was because they were proud of their son and he wasn't just reassured by his wife it was okay. "Should I order the elves to bring some alcohol? Of course, not for Hermione, I should think."

"I have a much more unconventional idea," Voldemort just smiled. "I think Hermione earned a better prize. I decided to give her the Dark Mark tomorrow, in front of all the Death Eaters, proving to everyone how much I value her."

If the Dark Lord could track Hermione without the Mark, imagine how many things he could do with it on her skin.

But she firmly stayed silent, while it fell to Narcissa to lie and do it well.

"Really? My Lord, I fear my family doesn't deserve such a big favor."

"I rarely mark females, but I thought I'd grace the Malfoy name once again, in a hope that you'd serve me once again with the enthusiasm you all seem to somewhat lack as of late," Tom just smiled, and Hermione could feel the irritation coming off in waves from both Narcissa and Lucius for just a second, before Lucius spoke up.

"Whatever you wish for, my Lord, you just need to say a word and my family will serve you as good as we ever did."

"Now that you mention, there might be something," Voldemort smirked. "I had to pay off some foreign werewolf clans to join us instead of falling for the false temptations of Dumbledore's pet werewolf, Remus Lupin. I'm going to need a million Galleons before the weekend, I can't go as a common peasant would, can I?"

It was a lot of money, even for the Malfoys, Hermione could see, but Lucius forced himself to remain calm.

"You can have twice that amount by Friday, I'll arrange it with Gringotts right away," he said, making Voldemort now smile a real smile first since he appeared for breakfast.

"You're a good servant, after all, Lucius. I will see what I can do to persuade Ollivander to replace the wand I took from you in return," he said, making Lucius just bow his head in return.

A wand at war was, after all, a very precious thing, even if Tom didn't exactly promise he'd get one for Lucius, just said he'll see.

"And me, I'm going to be your midwife," Bella just turned Hermione. "You mustn't worry about a thing concerning your pregnancy, little Mudblood."

She said that as if Hermione needed to be concerned about _other_ things, but quite frankly, she was concerned about the concept plenty. 

She didn't want Bella anywhere near her when she was giving birth.

"As will I," Narcissa jumped in to save the day. "It's the least I can do for my grandchild and my daughter-in-law."

"I feel as if I should volunteer now to be there as well, but I will leave this to the witches, and only bless the child after it's finally born," Tom just said, and Hermione, well.

She was the only one at the table who burst out laughing, whether Voldemort was joking or not. 

It all seemed so unreal: Harry fucking Draco, Hermione being pregnant from Lucius, or Bella now eyeing her with almost approval because of the crazy laughter.

She was afraid if she stopped the manic giggling, she'd break down in front of Bella and the Dark Lord himself, not to mention three Malfoys.


	15. Plans and chances

"We need to talk," Lucius just simply pulled Hermione into his bedroom when Voldemort finally "graced them" with leaving them alone, by the end of breakfast.

"About?" Hermione wondered, because sure, it was a little bit of a shock to hear the news, but she thought it simplified some issues they had before, settling them.

Lucius just pulled her to a room and sealed it off, however.

"About our arrangement-"

"I think it just ended," she said. "We're both adults here, and since the condition that made us do it no longer exists, I'd say that much is clear."

"Are you just saying this because you really want to end it or because you think I'd want you to say this, and you already have your shields up?" Lucius just said, making her stare.

She couldn't believe it. There was only one possible reason for Lucius to even examine the why.

She distinctly remembered how angry Lucius was when he thought Harry meant something to her and that's why she, against all reason chose to act because of her emotions, telling her it was unbecoming of a Malfoy.

So he couldn't have said those things because he wanted to keep her in his bed.

Which left the only possible reason: he somehow was so full of himself that he thought Hermione wanted to keep their arrangement as it is, pregnancy or not.

Which was laughable. She enjoyed their nights and maybe, just maybe, she only ever had an orgasm with Lucius, since Ron was rubbish and Krum was her first, but that wasn't saying she could not go and find someone else.

And even the assumption that she wouldn't was too condescending.

She restrained herself from not sending the smug Malfoy to hell, showing him how he got to her, if nothing else, and managed to say on an even tone.

"I'm saying this because not only would I be risking my life to come to you, once I got the Mark, along with Merlin only knows how many tracking spells," she started, although emotions could still be felt because she talked a bit faster and needed to remind herself about slowing down. "But it was also just something we were forced into, and now that does not apply to us any longer-"

Dumbledore be damned, she just thought, she's carrying this egomaniac's child, and no wonder if Draco came out of his childhood the way they all knew him back at Hogwarts, Lucius had some nerve to-

"Hermione-"

"We need to talk," just before Lucius could annoy her any longer thinking he was irresistible just because he was blond, luckily, Snape burst through the door, closing it behind him. "Oh, and congratulations, I have heard. But this is urgent."

He didn't even try to pretend he didn't guess it was Lucius' child, and neither the Malfoy patriarch nor Hermione bothered to even pretend to be outraged by the motion.

"What is it?" Lucius just asked, maybe his voice a bit concerned.

"The Horcruxes. We need to get to them now faster then ever," the Potion Master said, and since he saw that they were about to ask, added. "Because of Miss Granger here. If Voldemort marks her, it's only a matter of time before he expects her to participate in war crimes, and she's our only character witness if the war would end with the victory of the Light, making our own stand impossible if she was considered evil just as we are."

"There is also Harry-" she started, but Snape just huffed at her.

"Who is already the slave of a Malfoy, and therefore corrupted, even if we somehow managed to take that spell off, which was never done before, mind you, even if I did start a Potions experiment concerning the issue…"

Hermione could have almost laughed, hearing that. Her life never got easier it seemed, but still had a couple of surprises, like of all people, Snape was about to try and help Harry out of his slave status.

"Harry thinks Bella has a Horcrux in her vault since she was torturing me quite long constantly asking about how we got the sword from there and Voldemort was known to give Horcruxes to trusted followers before-"

"You can just call me by my name if I'm here in the room," Lucius just made a show of rolling his eyes.

"So, we break into the unbreakable wizarding bank of-?" Hermione was about to just ignore him, thinking giving attention to Lucius' pouting because his charms weren't working on her (they were, but she'd die before she'd let that show now) was like encouraging him to act out even more.

"Gringotts is one of the safest places, they even kept Bella's vault up while she was in prison. And the trick I used to get the sword was connected to that, but wouldn't work twice," Snape just said, putting his hands in his pockets. "But, Potter might be the key."

"Might?" Hermione found that not so reassuring.

"He is Lord Black now, and even if Bella and Narcissa outrank him in age and would have been next to inherit, they are only women, so according to Pureblood inheritance law he rules over them, and therefore can access any property of them, even against their wishes…"

"But you aren't sure it will work still?" Lucius asked because Hermione paused. This rule sounded oddly sexist, and how come she never heard of it?

"Now, Potter as a slave could still have some rights, in this case, blessing Draco with them, since he's the property your son now," Snape answered, not sounding happy about it as Hermione imagined he'd be to say something like this. "So, while it's not safe, I'd propose to use a servant that has ties to both of them and hope they won't have any trouble getting in and out of Gringotts. And if they do get caught, they could just state they aren't serving any masters, but their own now, and then we'd have a shot at this."

Hermione wondered was has gotten to Snape, this description hardly fit anyone.

"Dobby," Lucius, however, didn't just forget the elf as easy as Hermione. "Just when I thought I was happy to never see that wretched elf ever again."

"It's actually a brilliant idea, Professor," Hermione just said, because she had all the information concerning the matter as Snape had, and never got to the same conclusion, even if it now seemed obvious.

"I prefer to risk my life only if I see a slight chance of succeeding, at least," Snape just said, while Lucius was now giving almost a nasty look to Hermione in the background. As if she was attracted to Snape and only complimented him because she was flirting or something, which was _bonkers_. "And I'm not really your Professor anymore, so you can freely drop that, Miss Granger."

"As you keep calling me Granger," she just corrected, with a smile, to first of all hide her irritation that Snape deliberately kept calling her that, and second to irritate Lucius a bit further, as a payback for their earlier conversation, perhaps.


	16. In-laws

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: When I first started this story, I didn’t know how much of the NarcissaxHermione side will I have, but this chapter is with that pairing. 
> 
> Otherwise... enjoy?
> 
> XOXO

When Narcissa just fetched Hermione as before, she just followed the Lady of the Manor to her bedroom, so thought nothing about it, since it wasn't as if they haven't used the shields of the room before to talk honestly.

"You don't strike me as a witch who'd do anything she didn't want to do," Narcissa just started the conversation steering it towards straight the topic, it seemed. "And my husband is a reasonably attractive wizard, I'd say."

"You know he is," Hermione said, not following Narcissa's motives why to talk about that at all, given their situation, after everything. When Hermione was already confirmed to be pregnant.

"And maybe I am, as well?" Narcissa just wondered, as if there was a hidden smile in the corner of her lips.

"You are. It's time you get Lucius back-" Hermione misunderstood the question for insecurity, and was about to reassure the other witch, when Narcissa just smiled at her, and stepped closer to kiss Hermione, without as much as a heads up.

"I… Why?!" Hermione usually would have found herself with her mind racing to find explanations racing with the speed of light, but maybe was too stunned, or just a bit more shocked, and maybe even a bit turned on to think about anything.

Blinking at Narcissa, like they've never met.

"Lucius doesn't want to let you go, I know this because he told me he was happy to, and I've never seen him lie so hard, not even to himself," the Pureblood witch explained. "So, now that your cards on the table, Hermione, and you'll only spend time with him if you really want to, I wanted to do you courtesy of doing the same."

Hermione fought the urge to shift uncomfortably, and say she's already made up her mind not to do anything with Lucius Malfoy anymore. She owed Narcissa much more than just hearing her out.

"I love Lucius, but I sometimes find it hard to cater his every… whim, if you know what I mean."

"Like some kinks or-?"

"Like having sex too often. I'm quite content with it happening much less than he is, so if you want him, this could be something great for all of us."

"Narcissa, you can't possibly say-"

"But I am. I don't want Lucius to resent me, but I still want him as my husband and companion even when I'm older. So I'd rather have you in our lives as well, then to lose him altogether, and rather have you, Hermione, than anyone else near him."

The last bit sounded like Hermione was the only witch stupid enough to even consider a deal like this, or just stupid enough to be manipulated by Narcissa if she felt a need to, so Hermione tried to not look offended.

Maybe Lady Malfoy was planning this from the start?

She always helped Hermione without a price, but maybe that was just to collect the debt back in full payment?

So that Hermione would be Lucius' plaything for a while, when Narcissa didn't want to be?

It's not as if Hermione wanted to get back in Luc's bed again anyway, fearing if she did, she'd develop some feelings for the wizard, more then the overwhelming lust she already had to bear when it came to him.

She'd prefer to have logic and her so called "brilliant mind" making her decisions, yet she being horny already affected her way too much, not to mention if she was to fall for Lucius.

That was a danger she couldn't risk, especially not after what Narcissa just said.

"I'm not the one for this, Narcissa, I'm sure a lot of witches would like to volunteer anyway, but if I get the Mark, it'd be harder anyway, and frankly, I... don't want to."

"Lucius won't look twice on any of those witches," Narcissa just came closer, but Hermione found herself stepping back. "And even if he did, I would hate them all. But not you. You brave, and smart and funny, and part of our family already, whether you like it or not."

"Yet you don't respect me enough to think I won't say no to this ridiculous idea," Hermione said, letting out a sardonic laugh. "You wouldn't have to come so hard on me calling me even funny when you never even knew me to joke if you weren't trying too hard."

"Are you saying this because you mean it or because society planted the image how everybody should be in a relationship, and that should be only couples?" Narcissa asked, not even admitting Hermione was right.

Of course, Hermione wasn't disillusioned: she saw Narcissa manipulate far too many people to not notice that the witch was doing it with her, this time.

But as Narcissa came closer, and kissed her again, Hermione also didn’t just pull away or made her stop.

The first thing that came to her mind, just as Narcissa predicted, of course was concerning other people’s opinions, of course.

Like what would her parents say if they still remembered her and could see her.

But then, she chose to ignore that by also kissing back. It’s not like one kiss would mean she’d have to sleep with anyone, after all.

So, when Narcissa stopped the kiss, Hermione wasn’t even feeling any shame.

“And, I wouldn’t do this with any other witch either,” the blond witch told Hermione. “But if it’s you, I don’t find myself so distanced even from the idea of spending sometimes time with Luc and you both either.”

“I’m not going back to sleeping with him, Narcissa, no matter what,” Hermione states straight on, which was a Gryffindor way, any good Slytherin would know to at least give an answer that could be interpreted both ways, but she wanted Narcissa to know.

“Why don’t you join me in bed? Forget Lucius, the Dark Lord and everybody else for a while, and see how compatible we are. Do me the favor just once, and I’ll take good care of you, I promise,” the last line was basically whispered into Hermione’s ear, who just found herself wondering how things escalated this quick. “And it’s not like my husband can say anything when he gotta have you first, and not even just once.”

Despite her horrid experiences with Ron, Hermione never considered sleeping with a witch, especially not with a Malfoy.

But she also didn’t want to run off like a scaredy-cat for no gain.

Like she could not resist Narcissa’s offer if they first had sex. As if she resembled the type of wizard who could with only their wands…

So she kissed back, while the Lady of the Manor just smiled at her, leading them to her bed, while it was on Hermione to magic the door closed.

The last thing she wanted was to Bella to storm in, looking for either of them.


	17. Dark Dobby

"Is it true that you had sex with Narcissa?" Lucius asked, and just barely grabbed Hermione's wrist to pull her into a room and seal it before he did, so she guessed he was on the roof about it.

She couldn't even stop herself from wondering out loud, a bit sarcastically.

"Why, where did you get this information, if not from her, and if she said so, don't you trust her enough to believe her?"

She thought the blond wizard would yell at her but didn't count on a slap she got.

"You Mudblood whore! _How dare you!"_ the yelling only came after, and it wasn't really yelling, because Lucius didn't raise his voice, but he was almost shaking from the anger instead.

"Back to the name-calling? Now? Really?" Hermione just said because it's not like she was surprised by the way Lucius behaved, but she also didn't think he'd slap her ever. 

Especially not if she was pregnant, and Lucius should have been careful to stay in her good graces if he was Slytherin enough to think it through.

Which meant he must have loved Narcissa just as much as she loved Lucius, always helping him out from the shadows. 

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten so angry over just sex - without even anything to indicate any romance in the act, Hermione would note - if he didn't care about 'Cissa.

"So what, are you a lesbian now?" Lucius vitrioled on as if it didn't even matter what she was saying.

"I don't know, is your wife lesbian if she had slept only _once_ with another witch, then?" while Lucius was so angry, Hermione, on the other hand, didn't want to apologize. 

Spending time with Narcissa was worth it even for her to not care if she angered the Pureblood wizard standing just a few feet away from her.

But Lucius froze because of the question, before saying.

"Why don't you tell me? She's been known to avoid having sex with me before with empty albeit well-constructed lies and excuses, so…"

It was almost funny. The Pureblood wizard was insecure, of all people? With his pedigree, money, and looks? Not to mention the continuous support he has been getting from his wife always.

That made Hermione want to insult Lucius less, even if it wouldn't have been wise to show any Slytherin you pity them, that much she knew.

"Lucius, she loves you dearly. In fact, she only did it because she said she could see us all in a relationship and thought-"

"We have a problem," Severus almost, as usual, arrived out of blue, and interrupted at the worst possible moment. "I sent the damned elf after the Horcrux just as we discussed and it all went sideways."

"Dobby got caught?" Lucius took a step away from Hermione as if he didn't want to hear her comforting words anyway, and was relieved that someone interrupted them.

"Not exactly. He came here on his own after successfully taking the Horcrux from Gringotts, claiming now he's a free elf wanting to meet and work for Voldemort, completely becoming disturbed," Severus said. "Death Eaters are yet to realize he acts the way he is because he has a Horcrux in his possession, but if the Dark Lord just gets a sniff of this, and realizes what the elf has-"

"Does Dobby know who gave him the orders?" Hermione's mind raced, trying to come up with a solution fast.

If Dobby knew the Malfoys were against Tom, and Voldemort found and chose to believe the elf, he could kill them all in retaliation. Or do much worse, even, probably.

And it's not like Hermione had any illusions that her child will not be like Lucius, with all his annoying traits, but she wouldn't have preferred to be totally out of the kid's life while Voldy raised him either, fair to say.

"Only about me, saying he could help the great Harry Potter himself if he did me a favor," Snape said, but he was pale.

"You need to go into hiding, my friend," Lucius announced. "Let me get to my vault, and give you money and-"

"But, if Snape disappears and Voldemort didn't find Dobby, it would only draw suspicion. Can't we just get the Horcrux from him?" Hermione asked.

"He's watched by multiple Death Eaters, and got here by cursing me first when I tried to take the Horcrux off of his hands outside Gringotts," Severus said. "Even I didn't see that coming, and I'm a good dueler, always anticipating an attack."

"Why is Dobby here, yelling Mudbloods bring ruin to all of us, and Voldemort is the only true leader of us all?" Narcissa, appeared as well, almost sounding like she was entertained, but when Hermione looked at her, she just seemed genuinely tired. "When we tried to teach him that's what he should say in front of other Family's servants, he was never willing-"

"He has a Horcrux, and elves are probably even less tolerant to its effect than witches and wizards, it seems," Hermione just answered, yet Lucius almost rolled his eyes because she dared to speak to his wife.

It was getting ridiculous, but they also had a more important issue to deal with now.

"We need a distraction, and if elf magic is different and we can't handle Dobby, we'll call in a couple of other elves then, who are loyal," Narcissa easily see through the issue at hand, all the while she kept looking at her husband and Hermione. "Maybe a couple of Hogwarts, Severus, if you could lend them? Our elves have the duty to report to the Dark Lord as well, from time to time."

It was as if she knew they had been arguing just minutes before, and didn't like that, and was already scheming up as a solution for that while scheming openly to handle the elf-situation at hand.

Snape did call the elves by name who appeared straight away, listening to his explanation, while Narcissa turned to Hermione.

"Lucius said Luna Lovegood was your friend, how accurate is that description, you would say?" she just asked, and made Hermione wonder.

Did they share every detail between themselves, Lucius and her, and if they did, why was Lucius worried at all, didn't he know his wife was always on his side and Draco's side first, no matter what?

And even if she refused to get pulled into their lives as well as problems, not wondering about that any longer, she only mentioned Luna to Lucius in passing, probably, how come he remembered and even told Narcissa?

Did he pay attention even when he acted as if he didn't? Hermione wouldn't say he cared about her, that would be naïve to think, but maybe he cared enough because he wanted to manipulate her?

That was a very different aspect of the Pureblood's act he pulled just mere minutes ago, acting as if he not only hated Hermione but waited for the chance to rightfully hate her since he was forced to spend any time with her.

Which Lucius was real?

"Yes, that's correct-"

"Well, good news then. She's carrying Fenrir's offspring, probably even more than one given he's an Alpha and therefore this Luna now is an important member of the pack," Narcissa said, keeping this information from her just to pull it out when it was convenient for Hermione to know. "So I invite them to celebrate her blessed state just as yours, together, let's say? Werewolves don't mix well with any human group, not even Death Eaters, and are loud and bothersome to handle…"

"Which gives us enough ruckus to have the element of distraction," Hermione said, feeling both manipulated and amazed at the same time.

"And the opportunity for a secret political alliance," Narcissa looked at her. "Your friend is very well liked among the wolves happy to be one, while Voldemort is losing his face with them, having promised too many things he's not able to deliver, not to mention our Lord isn't really found of wolves in general and they can smell it on him."

"Great," Hermione said while wondering if Narcissa did everything and anything for politics like this, why does Lucius seem to think their night with Hermione was about anything else at all.

And she also considered for a moment why she was unable to trust anyone who was good at politics and manipulation like this if, in the same situation, she'd probably act the same way as well.

Even if possibly not that charmingly cunning, because Narcissa was the master of that, wasn't she?


	18. "Bad" Wolf

"Do you want us to help you escape this place, Hermione?" Luna just asked, Fenrir calmly sitting next to her, seemingly not at all upset that his woman was suggesting defying Voldemort.

"It's not really my choice, Luna, I can't possibly leave Ha-my friend," Hermione was referring to Harry.

"We can smell who he is," Fenrir just noted. "But my mate told us he was a friend, and I don't remember the Dark Lord ordering me to report anything back about people who live under one roof with him, so the way I see it, I'd rather not disturb him with unnecessary information."

Hermione was amazed. She saw Fenrir as almost a beast but with Luna, he seemed almost gentle and considerate.

"Well, I can't leave him, nor the war, and I'm pregnant."

"Yes, is it Snape's?" Luna just wondered. "I can smell it on Draco that his scent is too faint. And it has too much of another wizard on him…"

"It's not Snape's, Merlin!" Hermione quickly said, drinking from her goblet to drain out any more objections. "But now you know why I can't leave, even if you'd take a huge risk of helping me."

Who knew that Hermione would feel this grateful to "Loony Luna" one day, even for an offer she couldn't possibly take on.

Still, her being considerate was what really mattered.

"But you can help the war from outside as well, Hermione, and my pack is dedicated to helping any friend of Luna's," Fenrir just noted. "Even if it's not my place to say, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm grateful you said that," Luna just smiled, and gave him a kiss. Hermione just sat there, until they settled back from PDA.

"Don't mind me saying, but you're not running away either," she then told Luna, not really daring to consider the impossible of getting away. 

Ever since she's been captured, it was as if a vacuum caught her that will never let go, and she was fine with it, really.

"But it's different. I found a home and a family with my pack. I can't imagine any place I'd rather be now, no matter what else is happening," Luna just smiled brightly. "All my curiosity for creatures led me to this path, and I'm more optimistic about my future than I was at Hogwarts. In the pack, everyone is out of ordinary, but we're all unusual together. I'm no longer an outsider."

Well, saying Hermione was fed, clothed, and relatively comfortable as long as Bella didn't appear to be her midwife didn't sound to be the same level as Luna's choice.

"So you see, if this place is not your home or you can't make it your home, I suggest we arrange for you to go, before your ceremony," Luna added.

Hermione's eyes wondered to Narcissa, Lucius nowhere to be seen, then Snape, Draco, and Harry.

They were about to deal with Dobby, but wanted Hermione to have a strong alibi should anything go sideways, talking to witnesses like Fenrir to say she wasn't in any of it.

Where would she go, if she left?

Leaving Harry behind, even if Harry had also found a home and a family for himself, hadn't he?

At least, he was laughing with Draco again, seemingly too happy considering he was "just a slave".

Hermione thought about it, and she didn't really feel like "at home" at Hogwarts, always trying to prove she belonged, never feeling at home at her Muggle home, being a witch, and not really feeling at home in the Manor either, considered that she was tortured and a Mudblood between Purebloods.

But maybe the problem wasn't always in the places, but how she never even tried what Luna suggested.

If it's not your place, and you don't belong, there is always a chance to build a place for yourself.

To assert yourself into that reality, to make things a little bit tidier, and so if you still leave, you can go with the knowledge that you tried your best, and left it better than before you came.

Would she like to try that here? But how would she go around Lucius? Especially now, considering Narcissa's latest practical joke on Hermione?

She wondered when some wolf changed in the middle of the room, as a reply to an argument with a Death Eater, while Snape disappeared quickly in the direction of the room Dobby was in, and Narcissa jumped to break up the fight as the hostess.

At least, she was pretending to try to break it up, but actually was escalating the situation.

"This is what you wanted, inviting so many wolves to such a small space, no?" Fenrir just winked at Hermione. "I ordered the boys to give us a show. It has barely just begun."

"You can leave now, Hermione," Luna just added. "No one would notice, the Malfoys distracted themselves, and it's not like you wanted to take the Mark, right? Snape will probably help you on the outside, and if not, I'm in contact with Neville, and he has some wizards and witches working with him, we can hide you in safety."

Hermione's every limb was shaking, but she had a wand, and Luna was right. She could help the hunt with the rest of the Horcruxes better if she was free.

And she needed to leave before she got the Mark, which was supposed to be happening tonight, because after that, even if she decided she wanted to go, Voldemort could kill her with it even from across the Globe.

"Where shall I go?" she stood, feeling uncoordinated, but her resolve strengthened her shaking knees.

"South entrance, I have a wolf there waiting for you, he'll know what to do," Fenrir just told her.

"I owe you a life-debt, Luna," Hermione said, even if she couldn't hug the other witch because that would have pulled unwanted attention, probably.

"Don't even think you do," Luna just smiled. "Since I was this fortunate, it's my duty to help others who aren't to give some of it back to have some kind equilibrium in my world."

"Thank you both," Hermione said, and even though it wasn't enough to express her gratitude, she needed to hurry.

On the south entrance of the unplottable land of the Manor, to her amazement, Lupin was waiting, smiling at her.

"Long time no see, Hermione. But let's save the tearful reunion after we've left, shall we?"


	19. Worst of concerns

The Malfoys were surely punished for their crime of letting Hermione go, and she was a bit worried that they’ll give up Harry in return, but luckily, it didn’t happen.

She felt like she left just at the right time, when she did, because with the Mark on her skin and pregnant and being forced to serve Voldemort with unspeakable acts, she was sure she’d either end up like Bella mentally, or…

Or she would have tried to hurt herself, even if that now was concerning her unborn child as well.

So she just left at the best possible time, even if she didn’t know it yet when she did, but parts of the Manor never truly left her.

She still woke up every day thinking she was just the property of the Malfoys, until the minutes it took for her to remember she wasn’t anymore.

Sometimes it felt so good to be free that she couldn’t believe it, fearing her mind just made up the escape, or Voldemort spelled her to see what she’d do in the situation.

At night, she alternated crying and disturbing nightmares.

But at day, she was working with Luna’s pack, the Hogwarts teachers, the Weasleys, Kingsley, Tonks, Lupin, Snape, Neville, and Ginny.

It took some work to explain to Lupin and everyone else basically, that Snape wasn’t as bad as they thought him to be, but Tonks and McGonagall believed Hermione based just on the fact that she was Hermione Granger, and they helped convince everyone.

Just as their luck, the Hogwarts house elves they sent to the Manor to restrain Dobby until they could take the Horcrux from him told Snape, as acting Headmaster, there was another in the castle as well.

Snape even had a self-made spell to find it in the lost room of the Room of Requirement. 

As well as harvested pure Basilisc venom from the Chamber of Secrets he said he wanted to use making potions but now was willing to sacrifice for the greater good.

Although, he did say it with a very irritated expression, and voice, of course.

“You should do it, I’m still wearing his Mark, and who knows what the Dark Lord would do if it was his servant trying to destroy a Horcrux. Probably something like what happened to Regulus Black,” at least, he was now giving Hermione some respect since she escaped, treating her not as a child as he always did before.

Hermione braced herself, knowing from Lupin who destroyed the cup that destroying the Horcrux will test you, so she was ready to see she was still at the Manor, her worst nightmare, the dark magic trying to unhinge her mind.

She was prepared to see horrible things concerning her lost parents, or her in the future of her unborn child, as Lupin said he did.

Or it showing her a scene where all of her friends were killed in the war, she only surviving to be tortured more by the grief than dying.

But it showed her none of these things. It didn’t try to convince her of false truths, or promised a way out if she didn’t destroy it.

Instead, she the Malfoys tortured, and heard Voldemort’s voice asking.

“You know I’ll feel if a part of me is destroyed. You don’t think I can easily hurt them? And once I start hurting the Malfoys, who knows what will they do. Give up Harry just to escape me, or give up entirely?”

She wished they had the sword so she could chop the diadem into very very tiny pieces, instead of just pouring liquid on the wretched thing.

“Whatever it showed you, I do not need to and wish to know,” Snape just said, turning on his heals, ready to leave her now that it was done.

“It… the thing comes from the subconscious it’s trying to stop you with, right?” She spoke up, however, still a bit shaken. “And it showed me I cared for the Malfoys.”

Snape just raised an eyebrow.

“There is a Muggle term called Stockholm-“

“No, I guess that’s not it. If the war didn’t happen, I’d never would have gotten to know them as I did, but if I did, and I wasn’t forced, I… almost as if I liked them,” she was blushing, because telling Snape she could imagine herself in a strange relation with Narcissa and Lucius was not really an act of a sane person, surely.

“Not very smart, considering it’s a trait you was known for,” Snape just said, but then his cold eyes turned a bit more tired. “But if you do go back, you can aid with my research of the potion to separate Potter from his slave bond at least, the Malfoy library is vast and Nagini is also there for you to help destroy.”

It was almost as if he was making her excuses now, as if he understood.

“You don’t think Voldemort would torture me, and I put my child’s life in danger?” she just asked.

“Exactly why he will not. And a lot of it depends on how you go back to Voldemort. Of all people I should know, if you wish to trick him enough, you can.”

Hermione managed a smile in return, thinking hugs from pregnant witches would only make Snape uncomfortable, probably.


	20. Return

Convincing the Dark Lord that she truly regretted leaving and was just a stupid little Muggleborn who had now the chance of her lifetime given by him was easy.

Voldemort wanted to believe he was superior and she was inferior anyway, and Tom probably never considered a witch who wouldn’t want to marry into a family as rich as the Malfoys.

Add that to the Occlumency trick Snape had taught her in a couple of days, and Voldemort was almost pleased rather than furious, in just a matter of minutes.

However, that was nothing compared to the looks Lucius gave her when they almost bumped into each other in the corridor.

“Give me one good reason why should I welcome you back into the Manor,” he just hissed, hiding well if he was even surprised to see her.

He also looked weary and not as composed as he usually did.

“I came back to help you, I’m pregnant with your offspring, and I have bought you a wand,” she just said, after she indicated for them to move to a location they couldn’t be overheard, and Lucius did her the favor of following her. “But you said only one, my mistake.”

“A random wand won’t do me any good-“

“I used a spell to suppress my DNA when I bought it. So that leaves you with your side of the child I’m carrying, and the wand should fit you perfectly.”

She gave Lucius the mentioned wand, which wasn’t wrapped, because she wanted to avoid suspicion should Voldemort choose not to forgive her and maybe search her, saying it was hers, being pregnant with Lucius’s baby she could have even used it, but the moment Lucius took it she saw he felt it was a perfect wand for him.

She was proud of this idea, even if it was Snape who gave her money for it, Hermione basically not having any anymore, having lost what she had when she was captured.

“Yes, it’s a fine wand, but it doesn’t restore my faith in you. I would have gotten a wand from the the Dark Lord himself, if you haven’t left. Being aware of that you didn’t just left me to my fate, you have left my family. Even the person you called your best friend before.”

Hermione could have told him she made a mistake like she told Voldemort, but she wouldn’t think it was the truth, and with Lucius it mattered that it is not something else.

“I had to leave to know I want to come back,” she firmly stated. “Just as well as you had to know I would come back. That I have a choice, but still will stay should say more to you than if I simply remained.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t,” Lucius just shrugged.

“And I have destroyed a Horcrux, so even if you don’t want to see me anymore, after we arrange Nagini to be destroyed the war should be over that much sooner, the Dark Lord being mortal again soon.”

“And after the war? You’ll leave my family in Azkaban to rot, or take my second child away from me without any warning or remorse?” he wasn’t really inquiring about what will happen after the war, of course.

There were too many unknowns in that equation, one if they ever manage to kill Nagini it being close to Voldemort now, and the second if they even both survived the end of the war.

Hermione didn’t want to stay away from a battle just because she was pregnant, but that also came with the risk of danger as well.

Lucius clearly just wanted her to give him more than a wand to earn his forgiveness, instead.

It could have been a thousand of apologies, in the span of lengthy time, maybe Lucius having only the desired retribution on her only if he never did forgive her, no matter how he demanded apologies ever so often, and that was fine.

She knew that returning will put her in this position, and she did betray them.

As she learned from Narcissa, however, not elongate and unpleasant situation when there was a much more pleasant way to get what you want and build bridges where there was no connection before.

That said, she didn’t want to force Lucius into the situation either, because now her bigger than usual belly was showing, and she didn’t know if he found her attractive this way as well.

So she just decided to simply ask.

“I could be convincing you to forgive me in a much more effective way in your bedroom, if you wish.”

“If you think that will solve anything-“

“No, but you do look like you could relax a bit now that I’m back.”

“Then you should be all over me instead of just talking about it. You just want to say that you’ve tried, knowing full well that I won’t have you like this, when you’re basically insulting my intelligence,” he just calmly said, yet his voice was also very cold.

“I don’t know whether or not I’m still attractive being as big as a Hippogriff” she just said. “But I’m not playing any games, which you should know if you’d take me up on my offer and take me to your bedroom.”

“Then why relocate if there are things you can do even here.”

Hermione was almost certain he’ll make her suck his dick on her knees, maybe even role playing - was it role-play if it was real? - a scenario that he was this Pureblood aristocrat where she was the insolent Mudblood, blowing for forgiveness, but never getting it.

Then Lucius pushed her on the top of an antique looking dresser, and ordered.

“Spread your legs.”

And when she did, to her surprise, it was him who sank into his knees in front of her.

“What exactly are you doing?” Hermione asked, uncomfortably shifting now, expecting everything but this.

“Well, just in case you leave again, or choose to deny you ever belonged to my family on your own free will after the war is said and done, I want you to distinctly remember this moment,” Lucius said, undressing her under the waist. “Knowing that you can lie to everyone else, and pretend, but you can never again lie to yourself.”

She strangely felt both vulgar and exposed by the motion, but she will be damned if she’d let Lucius know about her embarrassment.

He knew fully well the effect he had on her anyway, now smirking up at her, but not yet starting to put his words into action, as if waiting on her to say something she’ll regret later.

“Well than, you want to do your best, otherwise it might not be as memorable as you want it to be,” she said on a deadpanned voice, not really giving away any of her uncertainty.

“I’m starting to think you spend too much time with my wife,” he said, but the way he did almost seemed as if he was found of the fact, which was a big difference compared to the last time that topic came up. “But living with her for twenty years, I also have strategies to counter hers.”

And he was proving that with not his words by then, and Hermione felt as if he was doing this just to condition her to never leave again, but it was working.


	21. Evil Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day two chapters? 
> 
> As a thanks for everyone reading, yes! XOXO

“It’s not like we can just ‘accidentally fall’ on the wretched snake with a specifically poisoned knife, for the sake of Merlin,” Lucius just swore, but Narcissa just nodded.

“We have to time the extermination of the Horcrux to the very last of the of our to do list before the war ends, but not so far that it will be impossible,” she tried to calm her husband while she also disagreed, which most people couldn’t do.

“Still, Fenrir has a whole pack, and anyone in the Order wouldn’t risk their life openly opposing Voldemort, because they already are, and they dare to demand it from us saying we have to proove our loyalty?” Lucius echoed the things Snape just told them, in a secret meeting that was already hard to schedule wisely, so that it stays a secret, yet they were also losing time arguing now. “How dare they, I do believe they are doing this on purpose, and wouldn’t even mind if we were dead!”

“For what is worth, I do not wish for anyone’s death and I’m risking my neck just as much as your family, Lucius,” Snape said with a resigned sigh. “And meanwhile it is not something they should demand, you should do it. It will be easier to prove you were on the right side, this time.”

“But we are, even if we don’t have a death wish,” Lucius argued.

“Yes, but there is also a price you have to pay for the last time you said you were under a compulsion spell and was forced to work for Voldemort, when everyone knows now it wasn’t true,” Snape just warned. “You have been caught and jailed, after all, Luc.”

That made the blond just frown, a bit more calm, but still probably the same way annoyed.

“Maybe we should not decline this task,”Narcissa noted. “But could avoid putting all of our lives at risk.”

“How exactly?” Hermione asked, now curious.

“Yes, when even if we leave the Manor, if the Dark Lord chooses to personally come after ask, he’d find us anywhere.

“Maybe we shouldn’t as much run, but make everyone else leave instead. This is our property, after all, with more ancient spells woven into it then Hogwarts itself,” Narcissa now noted. “I’m sure there is one to banish all unwanted guests from it, and then we make it Unplottable again with Hermione or my sister as the new Secret Keeper and we might just pull it off.”

“Excuse me but how does Bella fit into any sensible plan now?” Harry just wondered, being silent until now, when he was the one who could send Lucius complaints to hell.

Given that he was tasked to kill Voldemort himself as a mere 17-year-old, and he never was on the wrong side to prove anything to anyone, just born to who he was.

“I meant Andromeda, actually, now we’re regularly talking again,” Narcissa said.

“Even if that plan works, we need time and a huge amount of magical resource to banish everyone, especially the Dark Lord if he doesn’t wish to banished,” Lucius said, but he wasn’t fighting the idea now as much he was considering the technical side of it.

“I also need some time for preparing the potion Potter needs to be separated from your son first, and even if I managed, there is something about that to consider,” Snape just said. “I have researched the slave bond quite throughout, even Hermione assisted me, and there is no way to break a slave bond, since that’s the point. But if you do not want to face the outrageous wizarding society after the light side wins - or at least we should hope - finding the Savior bound to your son that way, I may have a suggestion.”

“I think we can all agree I do not wish for that reputation, no,” Lucius just remarked with an almost sharp tone. Who would?

“Then we can perhaps modify the said bond, with the same kind of magnitude of a bond, but different in the way it would appear in the eye of a beholder,” Snape almost smiled now.

As Hermione knew what kind of potions Snape was experimenting with lately, she could guess Lucius won’t like the solution at all, but she also didn’t find the possible prospect of that as amusing as the Potion Master, apparently.

“We could maybe change the bond to a marriage bond, with the aid of three highly rare potions. Maybe, if nothing goes wrong, but I would be there to supervise it anyway.”

To say the room fell suddenly very quiet would be an understatement.

Lucius and Narcissa refused to give anything away with their reserved expression, but them not even saying a thing now was already communicative enough.

Meanwhile, Harry and Draco did make up, and were getting along better than ever, especially since Hermione left, and they had the room only to themselves, but they weren’t thinking about marriage soon for sure, if ever.

“Does this mean you’d modify the bond basically to go both ways, and I’ll technically be Harry’s servant as well?” Draco just asked.

“Yes, I’m surprised you figured that out so quickly,” Snape, just as in class, maybe out of an old habit, was now praising the young Malfoy.

“There is no way-“ Lucius started, but then was stopped by his son as soon as he spoke.

“Let’s do it, I’m in,” and with that, he smiled at Harry, who was staring at him back.

“WHAT, you’re serious? We’re just teenagers, we could end up hating each other tomorrow, not even mentioning twenty, fifty years from now, or a wizarding lifetime,” he cautioned.

“Yes, but you’re already bound to me for that time. And we can die tomorrow, so your fears seem to me very different to me from that perspective. Even if we do end up hating each other, we can take lovers, and think of ways to go around certain challenges, believe me, a lot of Purebloods do, even if not in public,” Draco lectured, and Hermione tried not to think of herself as such an arrangement in the marriage of Draco’s parents, but failed.

And might have blushed when Lucius instead of further forcing the topic of an absolute no now started to eye her, just as Narcissa both Lucius and Hermione.

They still haven’t discussed what Narcissa implied she wanted with their trio, but Hermione thought it would never come to that because she won’t sleep with Lucius if she wasn’t forced anymore.

She was wrong.

“Won’t it interfere with our son’s already existing marriage to Hermione, Severus?” in the end, Narcissa just asked.

“Luckily for us, they only had the ceremony, not an old type of bonded wedding,” Snape now said.

“Luckily, you say,” Lucius just noted, but then turned to Harry. “But then welcome to my family, Mr. Potter. And addition I quite frankly never saw coming, but will accept, eventually.”

“We should celebrate only when it’s done,” Snape said. “As I’ve said it’s quite a complicated process. And it requires one more thing.”

“Oh?” it was now Harry arching an eyebrow at Snape, not the other way around which was something that made Hermione smile. “My blood, my heart, or my magical life-force, maybe?”

“Traditional marriages require sex between the two parties and quite often. I’d suggest you place Miss Gr-Hermione to another room,” Snape just told Harry, almost as if he wanted to humiliate him, but Harry didn’t seem that phased at all.

“I think that can be arranged easily enough. We have quite many rooms, anyway, don’t we,” Narcissa almost evilly smiled now.

Hermione would have worried about that, had it been not a purposely funnily-disgusted face Draco now sent her.

“I don’t even want to know about this! No, no, mother, whatever is going on don’t be open in front of your son about it, ever, please!”

Harry almost fell out of his chair laughing.


	22. Magic Spreading

Taking the Mark hurt, kneeling in front of a monster she could never truly serve, but she was sure she wasn't the first one in history who was forced into a "religion".

In fact, she was quite convinced that her alliance with the Malfoys did make it almost easy on her compared to those Muggleborn or half-blood witches and wizards whom Voldemort persecuted in both wars.

Her stomach turning when she saw what Death Eaters did to them could have been because of the pregnancy, but wasn't.

_If Snape can stomach this if Lucius can stomach this, if Draco can live with this, so can you. So get yourself together and since you can't sabotage it, at least complete the mission as fast as it's possible, so they can't hurt people any longer than it's absolutely necessary._

She was still devasted heading to her room which was adjacent to Draco's, but it had a secret and untraceable teleportation system to Lucius' and Narcissa's, ready for a change of clothing and shower when Draco and Harry appeared.

They were almost secretly giggling to themselves, reminding Hermione of the Weasley twins before a particularly good prank they were just about to pull.

"Care for a private Potion lesson from Draco, Hermione?" Harry just asked in a way that spoke to how she can't say no to it.

She almost snapped at them that she would not, she'd just prefer to get into bed and either cry or Obliviate herself or both, but she forced some calm to her thoughts.

She should not punish those for the horrors she just had to witness who had nothing to do with it.

And maybe especially now she could use some company to take her mind off of things.

"Sure, that's what I wanted to ask anyway," she joked, hiding her true feelings behind all the humor she could muster.

Draco smiled at her, and soon enough, they were in the Manor's private lab, which seemed big enough to be someone's house, but she couldn't say she was surprised.

And if the Malfoys were rich, and had to spend more money than the most, at least spending it on building a lab that was a place for self-education and research wasn't as bad as spending it on fancy clothes.

Which they also had, but not the point.

"I haven't been brewing since the war started, but Harry seems to be an enthusiast of Potion Theory, or just likes the sound of my voice," Draco announced as they stepped in, closing the door behind them.

"Both, carry on," Harry just grinned, and Hermione couldn't help but smile to herself. She distinctly remembered Harry's obsession with the Prince's diary, so it fit perfectly that Harry's boyfriend would be a hobby-potioneer.

"So, I showed him some potions that weren't part of the curriculum, and then we were talking about a lot of things, and we accidentally came up with a solution to hurt the bad guys."

"Oh?"

Maybe it was just the odious images that flashed in front of her eyes her mind replaying the details of her recent mission that sentence now seemed music to her ears.

"Well, we always knew I was brilliant, so yes," Draco said, but Harry giving him a look, refrained from further gloating, circling back to the topic. "We can eliminate quite many Death Eaters, and you're the key, Hermione."

"Me?" she asked, because it was the last thing she expected to hear.

"We could release the Dragon Pox virus from Abraxas Malfoy's crypt, sealing the Manor off for the time being. And make a Potion from your blood to give protection to our allies, not killing them," Harry eyed her now.

"If it was like a Muggle virus, sure, it wouldn't be easy, but yes," Draco added. "But there is also a chance that it's attacking magic not cells, at least Voldemort seems to think so since there is no known Muggle that was ever infected."

"And if it's transferred with magic?" Hermione asked. She didn't know there was any virus that was different that she was familiar with, but it kind of made a weird sense like magical things usually did.

"Um, if that's the case-"

"Your magic mixes with your partner if you have sex, sometimes even with a kiss, if it's particularly stimulating," Harry had to say, because Draco just went really red, and started mumbling. "And since you've slept with Draco, who slept with me, but you also had a thing with Lucius, and I presume Lucius still has sex with his wife, if this is the case, we could be all immune already."

Hermione didn't volunteer to say she also had direct contact with Narcissa, probably a better decision since Draco was just barely regaining his normal pale self from the bright-red side.

"We need to test it though," the young Malfoy declared. "I have looked into some potions, but I need your blood, Hermione."

It was a brilliant idea she didn't think of, but she was also concerned. Morally, if they do this, are they any better than the Death Eaters? 

Even if they technically were saving lives of their allies by probably shortening the war and the number of Death Eaters they'll have to face, it was still mass murder.

Knowing about the possibility wasn't the same thing as agreeing to it, so Hermione let Draco have his fun.

4 hours and 8 batches of potions later, all three of them were tested, and they were all carrying the immunity.

Had Hermione been a whore, by now all magical society could have been immune, what a thought.

"We need to test my parents as well, just to make sure. Then preferably send Fenrir's people and Severus away when we want to proceed," Draco noted.

" _If_ we're doing this, we'd need Snape's skills and protection if we lock Voldemort in a prison where all his men are dying, except us," Hermione noted. "And the Death Eaters with nothing to lose - they could probably easily still kill us before they all perish, it's not a fast infection for them to just drop-"

"Well, I'm not kissing him, that's for sure," Harry exclaimed, suddenly making both Draco and Hermione giggle despite the highly inappropriate time to giggle about anything.

She felt like she needed some cheer after her mission with the Death Eaters, and even if technically Harry's comment was a little mean towards Snape, it was a good excuse to stop scowling for just a bit.

"Magical resistance is harder to make a potion for, and even for Muggle diseases it's not easy to brew a cure, and for instance can't let the Muggles know we have it since it needs the blood of someone who survived the disease first, and can't be reproduced in the numbers the Muggles would need," Draco now probably was a bit in lecture mode again, trying to look especially cool in front of Harry. "But I could try to make one."

Right. It was the least they could do, if they released a virus intentionally, to have a cure or prevention for it, first.

"And let's say you do, and we give it to Snape and maybe Luna," Hermione said. "Maybe we could even manage to only lock Death Eaters in without us, and even somehow that Voldemort himself could not break out with his tremendous amount of magic. What happens after everyone's dead but him? We Fiendfyre the contaminated Manor to the ground?"

Surely, elves could clean up, but what is stopping them from contracting the disease, if not just becoming a carrier of it?

But, she was thinking too hard without even having the cure yet, and the look on Draco's face was more than amusing now.

"I haven't thought about that, why haven't I thought about that?" the blond muttered, being too cute for his own good, earning a kiss from Harry.

"If the war was finally over, us winning and the Manor standing, we'd still need to move out from your parents' house, don't you think?"

"You _did_ think about this? Thinking that ahead - with me?" Draco just stared at the Boy-Who-Lived, and Hermione chose this moment to leave them alone, not hearing the answer if there was one, and not just more kissing.

She wasn't sure they'd noticed her leaving anyway, and her legs felt like she was secretly an elephant-descendant, magical pregnancy or not, it still coming with swollen ankles.


	23. Weighing chances

Remember, it won’t be real, they said. Everything you see, no matter what, you need to remember that, because otherwise your mind or magic could break.

Hermione now wondered why the passing of time felt so normal. Why this fake of reality felt maybe more believable than the one she came from.

And how old will she really be when she returns, if she by then would maybe spend years in made-up scenarios, in places that never really existed, only a copy.

She wasn’t a Malfoy. She wasn’t trained since childhood to bear this magic’s effect, Lucius cautioned her for what it felt like a hundred times.

But she was the only one who could disappear for a couple of days without it pulling other's attention.

She could blame it on pregnancy related reasons that neither the Dark Lord, nor the Death Eaters would try to examine further or bring to question.

Maybe she will pass a point where she won’t ever want to return to reality? Could she do it to the people who waited for her, who waited for the answers she could find?

She kept touching things and expecting they’d feel like some cheap plastic, and look as if they were glass.

But even other people felt real, almost as if she wasn’t, and not the other way around.

“Every morning” she got up, and went to Death Eater meetings and took orders from the Dark Lord. 

The screams were easier to bear, maybe, or maybe it became now a part of her, and the real screams filled her mind not her ears. But she forced herself to go on every passing minute.

Snape and Lucius wanted to use the Dragon Pox virus and potion as Harry and Draco suggested. 

Snape already made an Anti-body Potion for himself, from Hermione’s blood and was mildly sick for two days but now was immune as well. 

And researching how could he maybe mass-manufacture the process without draining Hermione from all her blood.

Developing a cure was appreciated from her side as well. The why behind his research wasn’t.

Luckily, Narcissa took her side. And proceeded on to convince both wizards it was too dangerous.

But Severus didn’t want to give more to this war than he already did, and Lucius would have even sacrificed his Manor to not risk lives of his family. Or at least that’s what he said.

Hermione wondered if he was really just scared. He was a Slytherin, and besides? 

Hiding as a traitor in Voldemort’s ranks when he was also your house-guest was suicide on the long run.

Hermione couldn’t have blame either of them for trying to get ahead in this war by any means necessary.

They might die all in the end, even with weaponizing the Dragon Pox, and there was no reset or cancel or restart from last save button here. They stepped out of the reality of games, maybe long ago leaving it behind.

Magic came with a heavy price.

But even then, even if their plan could work, no one deserved that. Not even Death Eaters. There had to be lines no matter their desperation they couldn't afford to cross.

So they sacrificed even more. Sending Hermione in a magical snow globe that was everything but what it seemed like.

In reality, it was a Malfoy family heirloom, "predicting" the future.

More closely, it was used to simulate the future. Used by generations of Malfoys to determine in advance how to invest to keep adding to their money, now Hermione had to use it to simulate the end of the war.

She secretly hoped the simulation of the Dragon-Pox infection possibility will fail spectacularly and everyone will die no matter how many tries of fate she’ll run.

But then she’d also have to watch everyone die again and again.

It was a ticking bomb, and the main event was the testing of how they could contain the virus and Voldemort, and there was also the question of when to kill Nagini.

The people around her were only built up using her magic and memory, she knew.

But if Lucius died, she went to Narcissa always. If Narcissa did, she was afraid to go to Lucius. 

If they both did, she swore to kill Voldemort and was killed by the Dark Lord himself, with the Mark, easily, every time.

Even if they were cruel endings often, she always opened her eyes again for the restart the loop. And she was safe in this unreality in the beginning.

Had the knowledge it will happen again and again, giving her some illusion of control when in her life she didn't have any.

And she wasn’t pregnant. The simulation could only consider one person’s magic while also providing the answer they were looking for.

A day in the outside world, she was told, amounted decades in the globe, and if she wasn't ready to give birth just yet, maybe she was also tempted to stay a bit further.

She knew the magic worked with the possibilities, like a Muggle super-computer maybe could calculate some events if it had enough data, and patterns.

She wondered what was the possibility of a computer still getting it wrong.

Because, if she wanted to be honest, she didn’t see a future yet which she could accept. 

In these scenarios, they were all just paper dolls in the wind, falling free as if they were the snow-flakes in the snow globe.

And she was one of them. And could have become faceless just as easily.

Maybe never advancing was good enough if time was passed in safety. 

Or, her eyes will become just two organs to see the light hitting the objects but never recognizing the images of the objects and the representatives of the objects themselves.

If she spent decades in the loop, maybe her compassion to every Death Eater and her sense of resisting to do the things she knew were wrong will just slowly dissipate. 

If she couldn’t lose her mind, surely something had to give.


	24. Know Thyself

Safe to say she wasn’t ready to leave, but has been pulled out by Lucius, feeling strangely as she was comprehending she was back into reality again, standing close to the snow-globe that was on Lucius’ desk.

“You probably didn’t figure a good solution, since you were still in there. But we’re out of time,” he said. “Voldemort ordered everyone to gather for a spell he and Bella invented together, and they sent me to get you as well, no matter how tired or sick you are. The others are already down.”

As they walked the staircase leading to the meeting, Hermione didn’t even have to act sick, she still felt wobbly after taken out suddenly from the globe.

Then they arrived, and Bella has released a spell, and it was alarming already alone how she laughed while she was doing it, borrowing power from the Dark Lord himself, to magnify it.

At first Hermione didn’t know what happened, because Lucius himself - standing next to her almost as if to catch her if needed - didn’t change that much.

Lucius did always have a carefully groomed hair and elegant clothes, so even if that got more pronounced, it wasn’t as if people by only that change knew what was happening.

Hermione’s dress turning to deep red and with daring cuts and actually very little fabric could have been a bit disturbing had she not been pregnant and still a bit disoriented, but this way she felt more ridiculous only.

Bella got talon-like nails and horns, but still close to her own self.

Voldemort didn’t let the magic reach him.

Severus tried to block it himself, before turning extremely attractive for some reason.

Narcissa turned out to have the most pretty scales that took on any color from around her, beautifully changing with the light as she moved.

But the problem wasn’t even Severus or Hermione. 

Or Luna, looking now like a magical fairy from children’s books, in the corner of Hermione’s eyes when she turned to see what was Bella laughing at.

“This spell reveals people’s hidden but true forms,” the Dark Lord said, not even pulling a wand yet, but Hermione just knew it was a matter of time. “Bella came up the idea that we could expose the Good Side’s hidden traitors and hypocrites with this spell, but we wanted to try it out first, and also have a good laugh. Turns out, we might have stumbled upon a way to end this war. Or won’t you agree that your head on a stake would discourage some people to stop following you, Harry Potter?”

Because there they stood: Draco as himself, but with fluffy white wings making him look like a white furry rabbit caught in the headlights. 

And next to him Harry, back to himself, but with a tail that reminded Hermione of the tail of the Hungarian Horntail.

“Curious, how close you were hidden, all this time,” Tom stated, taking steps towards Harry, and Hermione wanted to stop time, to stop this nightmare, to close her eyes, but she was frozen solid by fear.

This was, real, with no restart of the loop, while every fiber of her being refused to believe it.

“You knew Harry Potter was here, and you never truly served me,” interestingly, the Dark Lord said this to Hermione, for now ignoring even Harry to talk to her. “Can’t say I’m surprised by a Mudblood making the wrong decision, but I’m still disappointed.”

The pain hit her like a fist, she wasn’t ready for, in the middle of her breath she didn’t get to finish after.

Crucio after Bella’s care for Hermione wasn’t new, yet it tasted different coming from Voldemort, more powerful and fluid, like a flame effortlessly eating it’s way through flesh.

She was also flooded with regret.

If the globe had showed her this future, she would have returned much earlier and would have spent her time left with Lucius and maybe even Narcissa.

“And you might think I postpone your death just until your baby is born, but as it turns out, your _angel_ of a husband knew about Potter too, and kept it from me the same,” he said, now raising a hand to send Draco to the floor just next to Hermione. “And I don’t need any offspring of followers, who can’t even do one job: follow me faithfully.”

When the pain became too much, too unbearable, Hermione did feel as if she left her body, and now became a separate entity.

She saw her own pain almost as if it was someone else’s, as if she was just a spectator, an outsider, a ghost.

She saw Lucius’ gesture to pull a wand, but Narcissa’s hand stopped him, she as well shaking, but clearly controlling him not to start an open duel, even if it was their only son on the floor next to Hermione now, as Voldemort moved on to torture Draco as well.


	25. Winning Without Losing Yourself

“Stop, or I drop this,” Harry, however, wasn’t at all like a Slytherin, no matter his resemblance to a dragon that could have been called a serpent, holding up a Potions vial talking to the Dark Lord. “It’s concentrated Dragon Pox, and if you know your magic, Tom, you also know you can shield against it, but it can multiply on the shield’s magic and the longer the exposure, the more sure you can be you’ll contract it. Or even if you don’t, if there are any number of your followers who can’t conjure a properly breathing shield, they will contract it, and expose you for all the incubation time, spreading and spreading it around you…”

“You’ll kill everyone in this room, possibly eradicate magical society,” the Dark Lord just said, seemingly calm. “Including the people you’re trying to save.”

“No, because Hermione’s immunity has spread,” Harry just firmly stood his ground, even if Voldemort never stopped the torture of Draco and it couldn’t have been easy on Harry to see that. “And I don’t care how many followers of yours I have to kill. Even if you Adava me, I’ll use my last breath to infect them all.”

“Is this what the old coot had taught you, or did you fall for Draco Malfoy so much you’re willing to let the Good Side down as well? The disease will spread, Potter. I imagine to every country in Europe, possibly to the whole world,” Tom seemed quite skillful at manipulating people, despite how he was truly insane on some level.

Hermione saw Harry’s hand shake, but not his voice.

“We can contain you in the Manor,” he looked at Lucius now, who stood there with his face blank.

“Maybe, most of my followers you could. But not me. You and all the traitors are mere flies to me.”

Surely he meant that when he Stupefied Harry, and cast a Wingardium Leviosa in fast succession so that the falling vial didn’t fall to the floor to break.

Hermione was still in great pain, her nerve endings as if on fire, and the look on Bella’s face didn’t promise any better treatment then the last time when she was under her care.

The Death Eaters around looked like hungry pack of wolves, enjoying the display of pain, and maybe waiting for Harry’s upcoming torture or eradication like kids for Christmas, and they made Hermione’s stomach almost flip.

But Draco, who could barely move on the ground, reached out for the vial, and Hermione had felt a strange connection to the Manor as Lucius must have started sealing it off, while Narcissa threw a shield up in front of Fenrir and his people.

But it didn’t take. Voldemort was on an another level of magic, and even with the Manor’s power behind Lucius, Hermione could feel the magic falling apart facing the Dark Lord, and while Lucius didn’t let it show, he must have truly felt panicked.

And Hermione _knew_ this would happen, she has seen it happen quite many times in the globe.

But, feeling the connection with the Manor wasn’t always there, even if in name she was a Malfoy for now what it seemed the longest time.

No, she could feel the flow of magic from Lucius almost as if it was her own, which tipped her off as to what was happening.

In the globe, living through one nightmare then another, she wasn’t pregnant. But here?

She had a piece of Lucius in her as the baby’s magic, and that magic could connect with Lucius just as with Hermione or the Manor.

And their child was strong.

Maybe because the kid inherited both from Lucius’ ancient bloodline, but wasn’t as in-bread as most Purebloods thanks to Hermione, but it came even as a surprise to her how much potential it meant.

Thinking about how the Dragon Pox couldn’t be allowed to spread, how she couldn’t let everyone die, how she wanted to give birth and raise her magical child as she could already sense it’s energy - from one second to another everything changed.

She got more magic from her child than her own.

For one second, she knew what it meant to be powerful beyond measure, and knew she could chose to channel this energy in any way.

Maybe because it read her memories, the Manor, representing it’s power, chose to take on the appearance of “Alfie” now standing next to her, waiting for her command, almost as if smiling in the process.

She caught thoughts of the possibility to kill every Death Eater on the spot, and transport the Manor far far away from the Dark Lord, which must have come from her baby. Almost as if a faint suggestion. A question.

“No, we aren’t like them to hurt people like that, and Voldemort would still escape, even if that meant we had our family safe,” she thought back, having her doubts how could she communicate such complex ideas back to a child that wasn’t even born yet.

But maybe it was okay, maybe just the intent behind the words conveyed enough. The weight of her thoughts and the deeper pull of her feelings.

“We just put them back to where they belong,” Hermione just had to blink, and the Manor did the transportation of every Death Eater who wasn’t on their side to an Azkaban cell, using the authority of her child.

Then, another blink, and she could Apparate every Order of the Phoenix member into the Manor, while banishing the vial Draco had in his hands forever to a plane from where it couldn’t be willed back to existence again.

She manipulated so much accumulated power with the Manor’s help that temporarily she was almost out of the realm of time even. Others might even not yet realized what she was doing, nearly taking a breath or two between all this happening.

But Voldemort moved with her speed, and was getting ready to leave the grounds of the Manor.

“Not so fast, _my Lord,”_ she just stepped in front of him. “You finally got yourself a worthy match of power, you can’t possibly run now away, without using the opportunity to test how you measure up?”

“You dare to brag to me relying on the magic of a fetus,” Voldemort just snarled, but didn’t yet attack her, which meant he considered her powerful enough as of now to be careful around her. “And with Apparating so many people back and forth, you’re almost drained, yet think you could duel me and not die? And-“

“No, not me,” Hermione just smiled. “I’m wearing your Mark and know how fast you could kill me, even with my best effort. But you have to face all the people who lost a friend, a colleague or a family member because of you. Whose dignity you took away. Who have compassion for the less fortunate then themselves. It’s time you payed back everyone you robbed and hurt in the past.”

Everyone has to pick their battles wisely.

She knew she couldn’t be there to stay to fight, nor could Draco, Lucius, Fenrir or Snape. They were Marked, and if stayed, would have been killed on the spot.

But she saw Narcissa and McGonagall just exchange a glance and stand their ground as one, just as the Weasleys and Lupin in the other side of the room, even Slughorn gripping his wand with determination unlike before.

Now that they didn’t have to face the Death Eaters but only Voldemort, and everyone could concentrate their magic to duel only him, their team had a good chance.

Ginny, Neville and other students went after Nagini trying to leave, and they had Gryffindor’s sword.

Harry was gesturing Hermione to leave and take the others, just before Severus gave him a potion vial, and whispering something to Harry, who seemed to stare at the Potion Master for just a brief second, but then casually downed whatever was given to him.

Hermione, knowing that the Mark lost more and more it’s potency with physical distance, Apparating all of them to Australia - almost where she left her unsuspecting parents - then collapsing, but Fenrir kindly catching her before she could hit the floor.


	26. Facing the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mr and Mrs Smith? ;)

Usual patterns of thinking persist, Hermione knew that much. 

If she tried to hide her tracks from Death Eaters, like when she chose the new home of her parents in Australia, a country they had no connection whatsoever before, she knew she should avoid these patterns.

But when she had to Apparate away without Voldemort catching them, she again, automatically thought of Australia first. 

Since Apparation only relied of the thoughts of the caster, unlike the Floo network, where you had to explicitly state your destination, they all ended up in a smaller town near the sea, with scorching hot weather.

Of course, everyone could transform their clothing from the long black cloaks both not to attract attention as well to not overheat, but Hermione still felt dizzy, even after she told all the others she was perfectly okay.

She did faint from magic overuse, and then tried to say she was fine, but everyone was fussing around her still, pulling the small town’s public eye more than they should have, probably.

In reality, she felt worse about leaving Harry and everyone else behind than she did physically, the worry making her almost sick.

How could she tell them that though? 

They were all nervous wrecks, probably impatiently waiting, not just rooting for their side to win, but also for everyone to be safe, and it wasn’t easy.

Hermione knew if she told them that’s why she wasn’t herself, acknowledging the weight what the wait had put on her, she’d probably make the further wait just more of a torture.

But this way, they didn’t believe her when she kept reassuring them she was feeling better.

“Oh my goodness, dear, sit down, right away, you’re so pale!” suddenly, Hermione felt a hand guiding her to a chair in a terrace of a café, without as much as ever giving her a choice.

Looking at the woman who was guiding her to the chair, she felt a sudden shock, making her heart sink and her limbs lose control.

She only started shaking after she was already sitting, but that was enough for Lucius to notice, and at a glance, he could tell who the woman was.

“Mrs. Granger, I wasn’t expecting to see you here. I’m Lucius Malfoy,” he said, now pulling everyone’s attention who knew Hermione’s maiden name.

Lucius himself, as if just to show how he can embrace the change to be civil with Muggles after the war, even extended a hand to Hermione’s mom.

Who, of course, didn’t have any idea who she was, or could remember the description of Lucius Malfoy as Hermione told her mom about him in the magical bookshop - a lifetime ago.

“I’m afraid you mistaken me to someone else,” she just blinked at Lucius, but then went on with her positive attitude, not even questioning what happened, turning back to Hermione. “But you, you’re a very pregnant woman, who shouldn’t just stand around waiting for a table, especially not in this heat. Are you all tourists?”

She didn’t even question why she’d travel with company that was composed by only men and some looked more peculiar than others, trying to charm their clothing into Muggle attires.

“Yes we are,” Snape kindly took action, since Hermione couldn’t answer. Not when she saw her own father noticing now his wife was gone and already walking up to them.

Hermione should have taken them all to South America or Africa instead. Or even if Australia, she should have thought of another city.

Where she relocated her parents was too small of a town, with the possibility that they’s bump into them, she should have known…

“My name is Severus Snape, nice to meet you,” the Potion Master’s voice was probably close to the one he used with the parents of Hogwarts, calm and direct. Not too much, not too little.

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” Hermione’s mom gestured at herself and her husband, who also extended a hand to greet Snape.

Who, when he took Hermione’s dad hand, was already running a diagnostic charm on both, made easier by physical proximity that was given for the handshake.

He didn’t say anything to Lucius’ questioning look, but when it was done, and he could probably see what Hermione did with her spell work, he gave Hermione a look.

It was hard to tell whether it was more of wonder why she’d go this far, or judging her because she did, but he didn’t say anything, except politely turning to Hermione’s mom.

“We could share a table, if you’d like. So you don’t have to wait for a table either-“

“Oh no, don’t worry about us, we only came to order take-out, and have to head back to work,” now Hermione’s dad said. “I am the local dentist, and I could tell you, just between us, some people only come to me to have a nice chat, rather than anything being wrong with their teeth.”

Severus almost gave him a smile, as close as he could manage, probably, and when they left, he just sat down next to Hermione.

“ _If_ we survive this war, me and Draco could help you to restore their memories,” he told her.

“It’s an irreversible charm, and you know it,” Hermione muttered under her breath, feeling a bit more like herself as her parents received their order and waved them one last goodbye before leaving in their car.

“I could help as well,” Lucius sat down on the other side of her. “And then maybe introducing myself again, when they know who I am.”

“And what will we say?” Draco joined them at the table, grinning. “That I’m was your high school bully now husband, and hey, this is my father, who is coincidentally also the father of your child, because you were under duress to conceive and I couldn’t arrange that?”

Hermione could have reacted a number of ways, but found a laugh escaping her. If only explaining her situation to her parents was the biggest of her concerns.

It would mean the war was won, nobody got hurt but Voldemort, and they somehow managed to get back her parents missing memories.

“I would advise you to tell the truth, no matter what it is,” Fenrir just said, still standing over them, as if on lookout for possible threats, but his words were kind. “Families, like a pack, have their way of sorting even the worst things out.”

“We could be all in jail after the war,” Lucius just noted then, staring in front of himself. “That would solve a lot of Hemione’s problems.”

“How exactly?” she wondered out loud. “So that I can tell them the same, only that my child’s father is also locked up?”

“You didn’t let me kill the snake, and you heard the Order saying before what would happen to us if we didn’t.”

“It was a Malfoy who locked all the Death Eaters away,” Severus noted almost lightly, given the topic. “So they better just wisely shut up, or this can be very easily reversed, in a blink of an eye, as it was done.”

“I could only do that with the help of the Manor and my baby,” Hermione noted. “Now that the Manor’s magic is depleted, and after I give birth soon I’d-“

“No one at this table will tell that to them,” Fenrir just said, grinning. “And since it wasn’t the Ministry who came running to fight bad guys when we had to, how else would they know?”

Hermione started to see why Luna was so happy lately.

Maybe - just maybe - everything could work out for them okay, in the end. 

That hope was more than she had ever since she was captured with Harry, even if she had to fight much harder than the most to obtain it.


End file.
